More than 1,000 members of Parti Bersatu Sabah a former opposition party which has recently join the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition submitted their applications to join Keadilan today in the run-up to this Saturday's Gaya parliamentary by-election in the state.

The 1,300 applications were submitted by 20 PBS branch leaders to Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at the party's state headquarters in Kota Kinabalu.

Speaking to reporters later, Sabah Keadilan deputy chief Christina Liew said the defectors had wanted to be part of an opposition party.

"They get nothing no money, no position, no datukship. This is something special," she said.