PETALING JAYA, May 12 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that his party will accept Barisan Nasional (BN) defectors, provided they are free from any court charges, and have renounced their allegiance to BN.

However, he said that each of the defectors will be watched, and the depth of their involvement with the previous government would be studied.

"The previous government was led by certain leaders.

"But if they forswear their previous allegiance and are free from any charges, and they want to join any of the parties or become independents but support the party, we will support them.

"But each case will be studied, as to their involvement in the previous government,” he said.

He was responding to a question as to why Pakatan Harapan (PH) was taking in many BN defectors, after campaigning against the party, alleging corruption, among many other misdeeds.

"Lots of possibilities. I can’t determine what the possibilities are at the moment,” he said when asked if the defectors may also be given Cabinet positions.

Cases of BN lawmakers defecting to PH after the embarrassing downfall of Barisan Nasional (BN) have been rife.

Sabah saw the defection of five BN members to Parti Warisan Sabah, giving its party president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal the majority to form the state government.

Previously, Sabah BN chief Tan Sri Musa Aman had claimed majority, and has already been sworn in as the state’s chief minister.

Shafie is expected to be sworn in at 9pm tonight, but Musa has shown no signs of stepping down.

In Johor, the defection of three BN state assemblyman to PH, gave the coalition a two-thirds majority in the state.

In Perak, PH only managed to form the state government this morning, after convincing Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah that they enjoyed the majority of support among the 59 elected representatives.

This came after two BN representatives defected, pledging their support for the PH government.

The two seats, when added to PH’s original total of 29, gave the coalition a total of 31 — enough to form a majority in the state.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail previously claimed that some Umno MPs are also keen on defecting to Pakatan.

He, however, declined to name any of the hopeful defectors.