Mahap, a vice-president in BN's Sabah-based United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO), formally confirmed his decision to leave the ruling pact at a function held at his house in Kampung Kokobuan, Kota Marudu, some 100km from Kota Kinabalu this afternoon.
The function was attended by top national and state opposition leaders, including PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution, PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, DAP's Kota Kinabalu MP Hiew King Cheu, Sabah DAP chairman Jimmy Wong and Amanah deputy Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Syeikh Fadzir.
The Kota Marudu parliamentary constituency is currently held by federal minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, who is also the deputy president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), UPKO's ally in Sabah BN.
In his speech to announce his crossover decision, Mahap pre-empted an imminent shift in Sabah and Malaysia's political landscape, pointing to the results of Election 2008 when BN lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority.
"To me, all this happened and has continued to occur because of one factor and that factor is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"He has created a new spirit for change in Malaysia and these changes will lead to a new political system for the country - a two-party system and I support this," he said.
Mahap's expected defection today comes in the wake of similar crossovers last month by two other senior BN lawmakers - Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing, formerly UPKO's deputy president, and Beaufort MP Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin, formerly a Umno supreme council member.
Both men, who were present at Mahap's house today, had left BN citing their dissatisfaction over the government's delay in setting up the long-awaited Royal of Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Sabah's illegal immigrants problem.
Just days after the duo's departures, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told a press conference after meeting with Umno leaders in Kuala Lumpur that he would announce the RCI's terms of reference on August 11, ending the six-month wait following Cabinet's decision on February 8 to form the panel.
The Prime Minister revealed an eight-point terms of reference in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, after meeting with state BN leaders.
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