Twenty-four Jelebu PAS division committee members and the area’s PAS Supporters Club members today declared that they had quit the party to join Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB).

Jelebu GHB deputy chairperson Muhammed Zabidi Abdullah said the decision, effective immediately, was made as they had lost trust in the line-up of leaders elected during the PAS 61st muktamar (annual assembly) recently.

“With this, the Jelebu PAS office is officially closed and the building has now become the Jelebu district GHB office,” he told a news conference in Jelebu yesterday.

Muhammed Zabidi, formerly Jelebu PAS deputy chief, said they had lost trust in the party leadership for allowing slander to reign during the recent party elections.

He said the ousting of party stalwarts who had sacrificed for the people should not occur as it was disappointing and unethical.

“After studying the PAS leaders’ statements and actions against their partners in Pakatan Rakyat, we also feel that the leadership has lost focus and failed to consider the current political situation in Malaysia.”

Muhammed Zabidi said they would send their resignation letter to the PAS central headquarters next week, while they would only lose their membership upon joining another political party.

“In the Jelebu PAS leadership line-up, only four are still loyal to PAS and it’s their own decision,” he said.

The breakaway group handed their membership application forms to Negri Sembilan GHB chairperson, Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, after the news conference.

- Bernama