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PETALING JAYA: Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s (PBM) decision to accept Lahad Datu MP Mohamaddin Ketapi as a member will not affect the new party’s credibility, says its president-designate, Zuraida Kamaruddin.

This is despite PBM being Mohamaddin’s third party in two years, having quit Warisan in October 2021 to join Bersatu, which he then left in June.

Since PBM was a new party, Zuraida said, it would welcome anyone, though this was subject to its “existing policy”. She did not elaborate.

Zuraida, who is also the plantation industries and commodities minister, said PBM had taken into consideration the recently passed anti-hopping law and current political situation before accepting Mohamaddin into the party.

“We are open (to new members) in view of the unstable political situation, and we also considered the anti-hopping Act. Politicians have their own calculations,” she said on the sidelines of an event here.

At a press conference on Sunday, Mohamaddin announced that he had joined PBM because he could relate to the party’s struggle for the rights and autonomy of Borneo, as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

The former tourism, arts and culture minister is also the assemblyman for Segama and will be appointed Sabah PBM pro tem chief.

Mohamaddin won his parliamentary and state seats as a Warisan candidate in the 2018 general election and the 2020 state polls, respectively.