KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) has reiterated its openness for Warisan to join the state’s opposition front in facing the 15th general election (GE15).
Its chairman Datuk Christina Liew said the coalition has held several meetings with Muda’s state leadership Sabah, but cooperation will still depend on the seat-sharing formula.
Now that Muda could possibly work with Sabah PH in the coming election, Liew said Sabah PH is open to do the same with Warisan.
“I have always said that we will be open to working with any party that can sit down with us and talk – not particularly (with) any party, but any party that is open for discussion,” she said, answering a question on Sabah PH possibly cooperating with Warisan.
Liew said this when met by reporters after a walkabout at the Gaya Street Sunday Fair today to hand out some 500 national flags in conjunction with National Day.
She said that only through a united front will the opposition have a bigger chance of winning more seats.
“If we are divided, we will not be able to achieve our target seats,” she said.
Touching on comparisons between parties from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah’s local parties, Liew said any outfit, local or not, will still need to work with the federal government as financial allocations come from Putrajaya.
She added that even though PH is a national coalition, it is localised in Sabah due to the autonomy given to it.
“We believe we will be able to speak and be the voice of Sabahans when it comes to the question of getting our rights and (state) autonomy,” she said.
She later expressed belief that Sabah PH’s seat negotiations will go smoothly.
Liew was accompanied by PKR’s Inanam assemblyman Peto Galim and representatives of several branches of the party.
Warisan’s president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has been firm on the stance that the Sabah-based party is still focusing on strengthening itself before it enters any type of alliance.
However, he had expressed interest to work with Parti Bersatu Sabah twice, saying that it is a local party with a good record.
Last week, Sabah DAP committee member Chan Foong Hin had said that the party, a component of PH, has put efforts to mend ties with Warisan on the backburner for now to focus on strengthening its ties with Sabah PKR and Muda.
He said that efforts to mend strained ties with Warisan can only work if both parties are willing.
The Kota Kinabalu MP stressed that it is best for DAP to spend more time familiarising itself with the leadership in Sabah PKR, which has recently changed.
PKR’s Keningau division chief Datuk Sangkar Rasam was appointed as the party’s new state chairman, replacing Datuk Christina Liew earlier this month.
The upcoming GE15 is due by September next year, but is widely anticipated to be held this year. – The Vibes, August 21, 2022
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