National Human Rights Society chairperson Ambiga Sreenivasan today welcomed the setting up of a new political party that would be led by former Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin.

"The more, the merrier. I would have thought it strengthens it. I think it will strengthen it," Ambiga said when asked whether the new party would further strengthen or split the opposition's voice against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and scandals linked to state sovereign fund 1MDB.

"We should wait and see how it works and I think it will work well," she told reporters outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, after handing over a memorandum to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Paul Low.

Muhyiddin this morning confirmed that he would be submitting an application to the Registrar of Societies to set up a new political party.

Ambiga also said it now appears that the opposition parties are all united to speak out against Najib and 1MDB, while BN remains silent on controversies which had grabbed international headlines.

"So there is unity on both sides," she added.
Maria, meanwhile, also echoed Ambiga's stand in welcoming the setting-up of a new party as part of the democratic process.

She, however, said that support should only be given to parties that support the overall agenda for institutional reforms.

"Those (parties) that do not support our anti-corruption stand, our agenda for reforms, we should not vote for them," she said.

Aside from Muhyiddin, it has also been confirmed that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be the chairperson of the new party.

Other members of its pro tem committee include Mahathir's son and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz; former Langkawi Wanita Umno leader Anina Saadudin; Gabungan Ketua Cawangan Malaysia (GKCM) president Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman; student group Challenger leader Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman; and Umno Bendang Baru branch Youth chief Akhramsyah Sanusi.