Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan today refuted a report that 28 party branch leaders from Likas had hopped over to Keadilan yesterday, saying that only two leaders had done so.

"He (one of the party-hoppers) complained that he was dissatisfied with the candidate we fielded," he said.

Pairin added that such party-hopping is common and dismissed its impact on his party.

On whether PBS would be interested in joining opposition front Barisan Alternatif, he said the party will consider whether the move will benefit Sabah and its people first.

However, Pairin said Keadilan should have not fielded a candidate in this by-election since both parties share a 'common enemy'.

Meanwhile, PBS candidate Dr Chong Eng Leong said the by-election 'has little to do with the personality, wealth or might of the candidates'.

"People are given a chance to use this election to say in no uncertain terms that we would not tolerate the scandalous and nonsensical scheme of the systematic issue of IC to foreigners," he said.