A Keadilan candidate refuted allegations today that 3,000 party members have defected to the Barisan Nasional because they lost confidence in the opposition.

The party's candidate for Lambir (Miri) Mokdak Ismail told malaysiakini that there were only about 200 pro-tem Keadilan members in the constituency and it was unlikely that 3,000 have crossed over to BN as reported.

"The reports are lies to weaken the opposition," said Mokhtar.

"Perhaps only about 10 or 11 people have left, but our supporters are still very much behind us," he added.

Mohktar said he is confident of winning the Lambir state seat, or at least obtain a sizable votes. Polling is on Thursday.

However, the Election Commission's order to restrict the election campaign to closed-door ceramah (political gatherings) and house-to-house canvassing have made it difficult for observers to gauge the effectiveness of the opposition's bid to wrest control of the constituency.

Lambir has 20,666 voters and has been traditionally a BN stronghold. Mokdak is contesting against BN's Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu Aidan Wing.

Walk out

Yesterday, former Keadilan pro-tem chairperson for Lambir, Lambat Mahidun, said about 3,000 members from 13 branches have quitted the party.

Lambat, who is one of the defectors, claimed they have lost confidence in the opposition.

They were also reported as saying that they disagreed with the opposition's claim that the government have taken away land from the people.

Among the branches where members defected were reportedly Kpg Subak, Kpg Dapang Bekenu, Rumah Panjang Pakut, Rumah Duat Sungai Keluru, Kpg Baru Nusah, Kpg Sebalik and Rumah Panjang Semuru.

The opposition has accused Sarawak caretaker chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud for allegedly "plundering" three million hectares of land, which they claimed rightfully belonged to the people.

Keadilan candidate for Satok Zulrusdhi Mohd Hol said yesterday that the party had "credible evidence" to show that Taib was the "main culprit" for the state's economic and land problems.

Since 1993, Zulrushdie said, the Barisan Nasional Sarawak government has provided 1.4 million and 1.6 million hectares of land respectively in the name of agriculture and forest plantation.

However, he added, the land which included Native Customary Rights land and Malay Reserve land is shared by 121 'crony' companies throughout different areas in Sarawak.

Some of these areas, he lamented, were considered sacred to the natives, who represented 70 percent of the state's population.