Johor Umno chief Mohamed Khaled Nordin said BN's defeat should not undo the decades-long friendship fostered between the component parties.

He said this following the decision by Sarawak BN component parties to quit the coalition and form their own Sarawak-based alliance dubbed Gabungan Parti Sarawak comprising PBB, PRS, SUPP and PDP.

Prior that, several other parties have also quit BN leaving the coalition with only four parties compared to the 13 going into the 14th general election.

"Their decision to quit BN puts aside all the cooperation, friendship and brotherhood between the component parties in BN for more than 60 years.

"Defeat in the general election should not be an excuse to change one's stance and forget the friendship and good cooperation that was built all this while," said Khaled, who is also the Johor BN chief.

Khaled stressed that defeat should not be the end but should instead motivate the parties to improve themselves.

"Johor Umno is of the views that current developments pose a big challenge for BN to unite and strengthen the (remaining) BN components so that it can remain relevant and function properly," he said.

However, Khaled also conceded that BN leaders, members and supporters have to accept the fact that a partnership like BN may not last forever.

"All the power-sharing formulas involving the various races and diverse groups as practised by BN will surely be tested from time to time.

"Therefore, it is critical for BN to seek out a future path that will allow us to properly face these (issues).

"Johor Umno will scrutinise these issues in detail," he said.