KUALA LUMPUR - Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has clarified that a political party reportedly using the name "Keluarga Malaysia" is not connected in any way to Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia (YKM), the welfare foundation he chairs.
He said he was only recently informed of the alleged party’s existence and stressed that the long-established foundation, which supports orphans and affected families, has no involvement with any political entity bearing a similar name.
"This is the first I heard about it. If there really is a Parti Keluarga Malaysia, it has absolutely no connection to YKM.
"So, we will wait for any announcement from the Registrar of Societies Malaysia (RoS) on this. I have not checked (the existence of the party) yet. If there is nothing, we will check with RoS ourselves," he said.
It was reported that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin is expected to lead Parti Keluarga Malaysia following his expulsion from Bersatu in February.
This was confirmed by the party’s founder, Khairi Jaya, who indicated that efforts to enable Hamzah to assume leadership are nearly finalised.
Ismail Sabri acknowledged that the use of a similar name could lead to public confusion, especially among donors who have consistently contributed to the foundation.
"We are worried that many others may use the "Keluarga Malaysia" name. It could cause us difficulties as well," he said.
He expressed concern that such confusion might undermine public confidence in the foundation, which relies on donations to assist orphans.
He added that the foundation would consider appropriate steps, including registering or patenting its name, to protect its identity and reputation.