KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Tan Sri Pandikar Amin said neither he nor former minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak was crossing over to PKR.

Dismissing rumours of this based on the invitation for PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to attend at a United Sabah Bajau Organisation (Usbo) event on September 17, the former Dewan Rakyat Speaker said not to read anything more into this.

"I am not joining. Salleh is also not joining,” he was quoted as saying by The Star.

"It is not a political event. We have invited him for the Usbo Malaysia Day gathering.”

Earlier, a news portal speculated that both United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) leaders would defect at the event.

Pandikar and Salleh had been Umno members but left the Malay nationalist party for Usno after Sabah-based components abandoned Barisan Nasional following its 14th general election defeat.

Usbo is a non-governmental outfit representing Bajau natives of East Malaysia. 

Salleh is the president of the organisation while Pandikar is one of three deputies.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, whose Warisan cooperates with Pakatan Harapan in the state, is listed as the advisor to the group.

Salleh, when contacted, also denied the rumours of him joining PKR and said the article was not true.

"Usbo has invited Anwar to this non-political Malaysia Day event. Anwar will be attending on our invite.

"It is a non-political event and the article is not true,” said the former minister.