EXCLUSIVE | Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has met Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud, according to a PBB leader, who declined to be named.

According to him, the meeting, which included former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, took place in Kuala Lumpur.

“Taib will summon Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari either today or tomorrow for an audience,” he told Malaysiakini.

The PBB leader did not dismiss the possibility of forming a state-based coalition as there was a plan even before the 14th general election to quit BN if Putrajaya falls.

“The state government independent of BN will push for the Sarawak agenda and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he added.

He said Abang Johari would call for an emergency meeting next Wednesday with both BN's state assemblypersons and MPs to discuss their future in the coalition.

Sarawak BN comprises PBB, PRS, SUPP and PDP.

The coalition has 19 MPs, 13 from PBB, PRS (3), PDP (2) and SUPP (1).

If the parties decide to leave BN, it would mean the coalition would only be left with 60 parliament seats nationwide.

BN staring at possible decimation in East M'sia

Pakatan Harapan and its allies, including Warisan and a PKR-backed independent Batu MP P Prabkaran, have 122 seats.

This number increased to 123 yesterday after Upko quit BN and its president Madius Tangau, who is also Tuaran MP, joined forces with Warisan and Harapan.

Independent Julau MP Larry Sng, who won after Harapan gave way to him in the general election, is also expected to be friendly to the new ruling coalition.

Coupled with 19 Sarawak BN MPs, this would bring the total number of Harapan-linked parliament seats to 143, still five short of a two-thirds majority.

With Parti Warisan Sabah claiming to have roped in several BN state assemblypersons together with Upko and LDP quitting BN, the once impregnable ruling coalition is staring at possible decimation in East Malaysia.

Warisan claims that it now has the numbers to form the state government less than 24 hours after Sabah BN chairperson Musa Aman was sworn in as chief minister.

With regard to state government, if Sarawak goes independent of BN and Warisan takes over Sabah, BN would only be left with Pahang and Perlis.

At present, Harapan controls Selangor, Penang, Johor, Malacca, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Perak whereas PAS rules Terengganu and Kelantan.