Barisan Nasional seen as panicky

Sun2surf | .....An Umno MP was dismayed to find out that Abdullah and Najib had endorsed the trip which he had initially believed was a frolic of the backbenchers' club.

“My god. We should not create an unnecessary perception that we are afraid of Anwar, and look like we are panicking,” he told The Straits Times.

Yesterday, the vocal Chinese-based Gerakan party threw in another shocker when its acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said it will review its position in the BN if Umno failed to restore people's confidence.

Gerakan, which has two MPs, had stayed loyal to the BN, to the point of near rebellion from its grassroots.

“We will give a reasonable timeframe, then we will see the situation,” Koh said.

The party was among those rumoured to be announcing a crossover yesterday. After speculation spread like wildfire, seven of the smaller BN component parties especially from Sabah and Sarawak were forced to deny a mass defection.

The BN coalition has 14 component members.

Observers suggest that the rumours could be part of a psychological war by the opposition to diminish confidence in PM Abdullah's government.

The opposition has hinted that 40 MPs are ready to move, although so far, there has been no sign of any movement.... selanjutnya.