PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim today claimed that another Sabah politician will defect to Pakatan Rakyat this weekend.

"The shock will come from the rakyat, it is an uprising by the Sabah people. It so happens that several leaders have joined the movement, and another will join soon," he said.

Speaking to reporters at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya today, Anwar refuted claims that his hints on Sabah is reminiscent of the failed bid to take over Putrajaya on Sept 16, 2008.

“This claim (of our failure) is inaccurate as 40 MPs were taken out to Taiwan then, and a sitting was not called, despite us writing to the speaker and the prime minister to ask for (an emergency sitting),” he told reporters in Petaling Jaya.

Anwar, who will be in Kota Marudu and Kota Belud this weekend, added that is “now history” and that Pakatan Rakyat is currently focussed on the coming general election.

Anwar, who was speaking after the Pakatan leadership council meeting, said that developments in Sabah are “encouraging” and more programmes are to be held to galvanise support in the Borneo state.

Last month, Tuaran and Beaufort MPs, Wilfred Bumburing and Lajim Ukin quit BN and pledged to support Pakatan.

Anwar had later said that the duo will be contesting on the ticket of a Pakatan component party.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had dismissed claims that the defections have shook BN's standing in the land below the wind.

He is also due there this weekend, and is speculated to be announcing the terms of reference for the much awaited royal commission of inquiry into Sabah's longstanding problem with illegal migrants.