In a letter to PCM, BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said PCM’s application to be a BN associate member was deliberated on April 22 and subsequently approved.

PCM deputy president Huan Cheng Guan thanked the BN leadership for accepting a “truly Malaysian and national interest party” into the fold.

“We decided that in the present situation, with the government versus opposition Malaysia, there is no use being stuck in the middle.

“It is like being on a highway. You stand in the middle of the road, you get hit. So we are happy to be part of BN as they have the best experience in managing a country.

“We have faith in BN and we thank the leadership for accepting us,” he told FMT.

Huan said PCM would continue to be a “rakan mesra” of PAS, which in the past general election had been part of the Gagasan Sejahtera coalition.

He said PAS was an important partner for PCM as it was the bridge to connect the Muslim electorate to the non-Muslims.

Huan also reminisced being part of BN again as he had left Gerakan as its national vice-president to form PCM in 2009.

“I left in 2009 as Gerakan vice-president. Now, 10 years later, I am back with BN. I have come a full circle,” he said.

Huan entered politics when he was appointed the Seberang Jaya village security and safety committee chairman in the 1990s, before joining Gerakan.