KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 14 — Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today’s defections will not save the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition from its impending downfall.

The former minister said no political movement can sustain itself in the long run by building support on the back of defections, as he accused the government led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of luring MPs into its fold in a desperate bid to retain power.

Khaled insisted that the recent defections by three PKR Members of Parliament to the ruling coalition had only exposed PN’s frailty, and would merely delay the inevitable.

"Such is their strategy to strengthen PN. But be assured, all this will merely end up a strategy to delay PN’s downfall, not to consolidate it,” the Umno VP said in a statement issued this afternoon.

"No political movement built on an immoral approach will last. All political movements will only be strong and durable through hard work and belief in the values they stand for,” he added.

Yesterday, Kuala Langat MP Datuk Dr Xavier Jeyakumar became the latest to announce his departure from PKR after Julau MP Larry Sng and Tebrau MP Steven Choong last month.

All three have declared themselves independents in support of Muhyiddin.

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

Khaled claimed PN, led by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, would face a backlash if it were to call for a general election now. He suggested PN was a pact between parties brought together by the desire to rule, with no clear ideology or values.

"PN was formed without any ideology or clarity in their struggle and until this day Malaysia is still not better off than when it was governed by PH (Pakatan Harapan),” Khaled said.

"All these make the recipe for inevitable failure. No matter how long they try to lengthen their life the people shall still decide the future,” the Umno leader added.

Umno, at one point a member of PN, declared it would no longer support the coalition and face them as rivals in the upcoming general elections.

Khaled insisted Barisan Nasional is still the best choice for voters because it has a solid track record.

The Umno-led coalition had governed for over six decades before a series of massive scandals caused its first election loss in 2018.