'BN will forestall defections' - NST

PUTRAJAYA: April 26, 2008

The Barisan Nasional takes seriously the rumours that its members of parliament are crossing over to the opposition.

Deputy Prime Minister and BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the BN would act with urgency to counter any potential risk of the coalition breaking up.

"Yes, there have been reports (of BN component party members crossing over to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition) and we cannot just dismiss them.

"We will do something about it, don't worry. I won't tell you what we are going to do but we will (do something about it)," Najib said when asked if there were reasons for the BN to worry following reports that 30 or more BN MPs were crossing over to enable the Pakatan Rakyat coalition to form the government.

Speaking to reporters after chairing the National Permata Policy Co-ordination Council meeting at his office yesterday, Najib said while the BN could not take things for granted, political gamesmanship was also involved.

"We hear rumours (of Sabah and Sarawak BN leaders crossing over) but no one has come forward and said they are saying goodbye to the BN," he said.

Asked if BN would deal with the issue before it was too late, Najib said: "Of course. We have to deal with it with urgency. We have to take everything seriously, we cannot dismiss it as pure fabrication. But there is a strong element of political gamesmanship as well."

Sabah and Sarawak hold 55 of the BN's 140 parliamentary seats. PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition could take over the federal government by Sept 16.