KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Umno’s decline could motivate some of its federal lawmakers to resign and trigger automatic by-elections that would give political rivals the chance to increase its numbers in Parliament, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said.

The Umno supreme council member said the unnamed Umno MPs could be motivated into doing for fear of losing their own standing and positions if the Malay nationalist party is unable to arrest its decline.

"For now, I believe the unity government is safe because there is an anti-party hopping law,” he said on Facebook. "But I don’t know if there will be Umno MPs willing to resign and trigger more by-elections, Because these political desperadoes are willing to do anything just to feed their lust for power.”

Nur Jazlan made the claim as part of a commentary on the outcome of the six state elections last month, in which he concluded that the results showed that Malay voters have rejected both Umno and Bersatu, with PAS being the ultimate beneficiary.

The Umno leader said this meant Bersatu and its president, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, were shamelessly claiming credit for PAS’s electoral performance, which he said was still gaining momentum.

Nur Jazlan said it was incumbent on all peninsular parties in the unity government to develop strategies to counter the rise of PAS in order for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration to see out its full term.

The constitutional amendment commonly called the "anti-party hopping law” came into effect in October last year, ahead of the 15th general election.

The law causes an elected lawmaker to automatically lose their seat in the event they resign or switch affiliations, but allows them to keep their position if they were to be expelled.

Last week, Umno extended its decline from the 15th general election, winning just 19 seats out of the 108 it contested for the Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Terengganu state elections.

PM Anwar currently commands the confidence of 147 federal lawmakers — over two-thirds of Parliament — including 26 from Umno.