IPOH, March 5 — Perak lawmakers A. Sivasubramaniam and Paul Yong have joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

Perak Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu when contacted confirmed the move. 

"It’s true, both of them have joined Bersatu. 

"They joined last year. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic their membership process was delayed as it took some time for us to key in their registration in the system,” he told Malay Mail.

As non-Bumiputera, Yong and Sivasubramaniam would be part of Bersatu’s associate members wing.

"Last year the party had agreed to form the associate members wing to allow non-bumis to join the party,” Ahmad Faizal, who is also the state Bersatu chairman, said. 

He pointed out that non-Bumiputeras members can be the party’s candidates to contest in the election. 

Yong is now a member of Batu Gajah Bersatu division whilst Sivasubramaniam is in the Ipoh Barat division. 

The duo will not have any voting privileges in internal party matters due to the party constitutions. 

Yong and Sivasubramaniam defected from DAP after the Perak Pakatan Harapan (PH) government collapsed last year in March. 

The duo pledged to support Ahmad Faizal who was then the Perak Perikatan Nasional (PN) government’s Mentri Besar.

In June last year, Sivasubramaniam joined Gerakan while Yong declared Independent.