KUALA LUMPUR: Umno lawmakers who purportedly met PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali have no plans to jump ship to Pakatan Harapan, says Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic).

He said that it was unfair to accuse the group, as they were merely requesting for funding for their respective constituencies during the meeting.

"It is up to them to meet Azmin; it is more towards asking for funding for their constituencies. It has nothing to do with politics. Why must they jump now? If they want to support Pakatan, they could have met Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad directly," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday (Nov 19).

Shahidan was among at least 22 Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan lawmakers who were rumoured to have met with Azmin at his residence late Monday (Nov 18) night.

The Perlis Umno chairman added that he needed to take care of his constituency.

"I did not get anything from the state government, so I have to find ways to get allocations for the Arau parliament seat and the surrounding constituencies," he said.

"If it is for political purposes, we will always go through the proper channels, and if some say we will be investigated, so be it," added Shahidan.

He urged people to appreciate those who are defending Barisan in Parliament.

Umno's disciplinary board had said that it will investigate the meeting involving several Umno MPs who met Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali at his official residence in Putrajaya on Monday night.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/19/shahidan-those-who-met-with-azmin-not-jumping-ship-to-pakatan