PKR today invited 47 BN MPs from East Malaysia to leave the ruling coalition in order to form their own independent coalition, and cooperate with the opposition bloc.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said this was needed for a better future for all Malaysians.

"(This) can be achieved if our fellow 47 patriotic BN parliamentarians from Sarawak and Sabah like the 47 ronins of Japanese lore who fought and died for keadilan rakyat or justice leave BN to form their own independent coalition with us.

"Then the promise of merdeka (independence) and Malaysia will be fulfilled," she said, in her keynote address at a forum held in Kuala Lumpur today.

Wan Azizah said the opposition bloc must be like election watchdog Bersih, which she said is "uniting people regardless of race and religion" in the struggle for a better Malaysia.

"The moment is now," she said.

This is not the first time PKR is courting BN's East Malaysian MPs.

In 2008, after the 12th general election, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim claimed the opposition bloc had secured defections from enough BN MPs from Sabah and Sarawak to form a new government. This never materialised.

Wan Azizah said the BN MPs from Sabah and Sarawak can now play a role if a vote of no confidence is called against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Parliament.

"We have enough in the opposition bloc but if anyone in the government at the moment finds it in their heart to save Malaysia, come out and be with us in the spirit of patriotism for the country.

Several opposition MPs had called for a vote of no confidence against Najib amid talks of an attempt to oust the prime minister.

Parliament speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (photo) , however, remains non-commital on the matter.

'Umno will knock on our doors'

PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli (photo) meanwhile said there will be no possibility of the opposition bloc working with Umno in any form.

"I think it's very clear. I wouldn't have been in politics if I want to have anything to do with Umno.

"Everything about us for the time being is so opposed to what Umno stands for.

"If you're talking about policy framework and justice, Umno is the one thing in the world that you don't want to go near, by 1,000 years," he said, to laughter from the audience.

Rafizi, however, has this prophesy for the future.

"What will happen is this - Umno will be defeated in an election, Umno will break up, there can be sizeable moderates within Umno, who will knock on our door once they are out of power," he said.

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