We Are Taking The Rumour Seriously, Says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, April 25 (Bernama)

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government is taking seriously the "threat" that there would be a crossover of 30 or more BN Members of Parliament (MP) to the opposition to enable Pakatan Rakyat to form the government, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said here, Friday.

"There are reports (of the crossover) but we cannot just dismiss the reports. Of course, there is an element of political gamesmanship, nonetheless, we cannot take things for granted," he told a press conference at his office.

He said this when asked on a statement by former deputy prime minister and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Anwar Ibrahim that the opposition had 30 or more MPs who were willing to leave the BN for Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition pact made up of PAS, DAP and PKR.

Following the just concluded general election, the opposition has 82 seats in Parliament while BN has 140 seats. If 30 or more BN MPs were to cross over to the opposition, the country would witness the BN losing the federal government for the first time since the independence 50 years ago.

Asked if BN would take measures to ensure all BN MPs remained with the ruling coliation, Najib said:"We will do something but I won't tell you exactly what we will do, but we will do something."

"We hear rumours (off the crossover) but no one has come and said we are saying goodbye to BN," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

"We have to deal with urgency. We have to take everything seriously, we cannot dismiss it as pure fabrication but as I said there is a strong element of political gamesmanship as well," he said.