KUALA LUMPUR: Talk of several PKR MPs defecting to Barisan Nasional (BN) or declaring themselves as independent lawmakers before Chinese New Year will come to nought, a senior PKR leader said.

PKR director of strategy Tian Chua said at least four PKR MPs were "contacted by parties" linked to the BN leadership to cross over but he believed the four would not be easily influenced.

He said they were not likely to jump ship merely on the basis of some grouses against Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leadership.

"For the time being, there is no empirical evidence that the MPs will defect," he told The Edge Financial Daily today.

Chua said although several PKR MPs had been critical of the opposition pact lately, these were merely "shadow play" and not a strong desire to join BN or other political parties.

"They have, however, become prime targets of BN for being vocal on their stand and issues in party (PKR) politics," he said, adding that PKR lawmakers that were referred to the party's disciplinary committee would always be perceived as potential crossover targets.

Chua, who is Batu MP, said PKR lawmakers were courted against the backdrop of its de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing sodomy trial as this was seen as an opportunity to "attack the party and finish it off".

"I want to be fair to those facing the disciplinary committee. I don't want to assume," he said when asked if he personally believed any particular PKR MP would defect.

PKR MPs that have recently been referred to the party's disciplinary committee for their outburst against PKR partners include Zulkifli Noordin, Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim and Tan Tee Beng.

Nevertheless, Chua noted that there was no blanket guarantee against possible crossovers as BN would not feel secure until it got back its traditional two-thirds majority in the House.

"(Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) knows that his numbers (in Dewan Rakyat) are thin. I think he wants to make sure he has a strong backing," said Chua. At present, BN has 137 of the 222 seats in Dewan Rakyat, while PR has 82 and three are independent MPs.

On the eve of Chinese New Year in 2009, BN's Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasarudin Hashim, citing interest of his constituents, announced he would quit Umno to cross over to PKR. However, he rejoined Umno less than a fortnight later, claiming he saw positive developments in Umno Perak.

His decision to rejoin Umno, coupled with PR assemblymen Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and Hee Yit Foong turning BN-friendly independents, saw the Perak government under Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin losing its majority in the assembly with only 28 of the 59 seats.

According to another PKR official, there is a strong indication that at least one PKR MP from the northern region abandoning the party before Dewan Rakyat resumes its sitting next month.

"It's better to leave if your political ideals and principles have changed from the party's," he said on condition of anonymity.

The official also said PKR lawmakers that have publicly denied they were quitting the party should be firm in their stand, adding that they should also "take stock" and find out why they were rumoured to be among possible defectors.

"We have seen politicians pledging support for the party today but by tomorrow they have disappeared," he pointed out.