Hadi said that with the support of these MPs, including some from Sabah and Sarawak, PN would be able to change the government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

“Initially, we had the support of about 10 Umno MPs, maybe even 15, but they have been ‘blackmailed’, so they are fearful,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying.

He said that even within the unity coalition, “the parties are fighting among themselves and going against the government”.

Hence, the formation of a new federal government was important “to save Islam, the Malay race and the country”.

Yesterday, Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin told a ceramah PN would be “taking over” the federal government if it won in the state polls.

“How are we going to do it? After we take over, then you’ll find out how,” he said.

On Sunday, Hadi had claimed that if Perikatan Nasional won all the six states holding elections on Aug 12, it would lead to a change in the federal government.

In response, deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh said the claim by Hadi was a “clear-cut lie”.

He said the anti-hopping law, enforced last year, would prevent MPs from jumping ship.

If elected representatives were to switch parties, he said, their seats would be vacated and this would pave the way for by-elections.