Defecting to Pakatan Harapan should not be used as an excuse to evade responsibility for crimes committed during the BN administration, PKR said today.

According to PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil, the matter was raised during a party political bureau meeting today that discussed BN parliamentarians crossing over to Harapan component parties.

“The PKR political bureau is aware that Malaysians have made a clear choice at the 14th general election, which is to take up the reform agenda and reject corruption, abuse of power, and kleptocracy practised in the previous regime.

“At the same time, the PKR political bureau is cognisant of the people’s anxiety over news about BN parliamentarians joining (Harapan) that could be used as an excuse to cover up investigations or cases, especially those involving abuse of power, graft, and awarding of contracts, including arms contracts.

“Therefore, the PKR political bureau stresses that joining Harapan cannot be an excuse to cover up investigations or cases against any party,” he said in a statement today.

Fahmi said the matter will be discussed in further detail when the Harapan presidential council convenes on Saturday.

The statement comes amid speculation that 40 Umno MPs would soon join Bersatu, as revealed by the party's supreme council member A Kadir Jasin last week.

It was reported that these leaders held several meetings with Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and president Muhyiddin Yassin.