All eyes on Sabah BN duo over rumoured defections

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Mu­­rut Organisation (Upko) deputy president Wilfred Bumburing and Sabah Umno stalwart Lajim Ukin are widely speculated to attend two PKR-held functions today, amidst much talk that they are defecting to the opposition.

Sabah PKR chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini (left), when contacted today, said the BN duo are very likely to attend the Kaamatan festival celebration in Kota Belud at 3.30pm and the PKR dinner later at 8pm in Kota Kinabalu.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Sabah at 1.40pm and he is scheduled to attend both the events to make the heavily-rumoured announcement.

Thamrin said the Kaamatan event might be jeopardised by bad weather as roads leading up to Kota Belud are apparently flooded, but not the dinner function which is held in a posh convention centre.

"(Sabah Progressive Party chief) Yong Teck Lee will definitely come to the dinner, and there is a high chance that Lajim and Bumburing will come as well. 

"But on what will they do, we cannot confirm," he said in a telephone interview.

Should Lajim (right) and Bumburing move to stand on the same stage with Anwar tonight, it will be a major coup by the Pakatan Rakyat. 

Lajim's private secretary confirmed that the deputy transport minister is in Sabah but could not verify his whereabouts, only saying that Lajim will return to KL tomorrow for the Parliament session. 

Tian Chua: Not today

However the rumours were squashed by PKR vice president Tian Chua, who said he did not expect the defections, if any, to take place today. 

He said Anwar's primary agenda to Sabah this time was to attend ceramah and party functions. 

While admitting that there are ongoing discussions with Sabah BN leaders, he said they could choose to be ‘Pakatan-friendly' instead of joining PKR. 

"But whether they will pull out from BN as a party ,or join in as individuals, it is up to them,"  said Tian. 

He described the breaking up of Sabah BN as "irreversible", adding that the upper and lower ranks of Sabah BN were crumbling.

Bumburing (left) is the Tuaran MP while Lajim is Beaufort MP. Both served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah before.

Rumours of their impending defection were fueled further by their appearance at the officiation of the Sabah chapter of Amanah, an NGO led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who has a history of being critical of the BN leadership.

Bumburing currently heads the Sabah chapter of Amanah.