KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 15 — Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan questioned several arguments defending Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar’s decision to quit PKR and support the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

He specifically questioned those who claimed that Xavier jumped the party due to pressure and threats as claimed by PKR vice-president Tian Chua and the party’s Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah.

On Saturday, Sivarasa claimed Xavier would not have defected had it not been for a "selective investigation” by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), while Chua had earlier alleged PN used threats to stay in power.

Shahril said that it was questionable if we are like Xavier’s friends, Sivarasa and Chua, who do not seem to believe the reasons given by him.

Bearing that in mind, he said some questions will arise:

"If it’s true that he (Xavier) is innocent and has been threatened in various ways, is there a need to defect?

"Now that he has defected, will the (MACC) investigations stop?” questioned Shahril on his Facebook page yesterday.

Last month, MACC arrested Xavier’s close family friend Datuk MA Thinagaran, who is also the Perak PKR deputy chairman.

He was arrested to assist anti-graft officers in their investigation over sand mining projects awarded during Xavier’s time as a federal minister.

Xavier is the latest elected representative to leave PKR to pledge his support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his PN government.

Last month, two other PKR MPs — Steven Choong of Terbau and Larry Sng of Julau — quit the party and are now pro-PN.

The defections came amid talks that Muhyiddin and his coalition no longer command the majority support in Parliament, and are facing mounting pressure to step down and hold fresh elections.

Yesterday, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the latest defection by Xavier will not save the ruling PN coalition from its impending downfall.

The former Johor mentri besar and federal minister explained that no political movement can sustain itself in the long run by building support on the back of defections.

Khaled also accused the government led by Muhyiddin of luring MPs into its fold in a desperate bid to retain power.