Warisan rethinks electoral cooperation with peninsula-based parties

SABAH-based party Warisan is re-evaluating its electoral cooperation with peninsula-based parties, with party president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal expressing regret about these one-sided partnerships.  

He said leaders from peninsula-based parties often prioritised their political ambitions over the needs of Sabah residents despite their lack of political strength in the state. 

“We’ve had alliances with leaders like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, but these experiences have shown that the cooperation often serves the interests of these leaders rather than the people of Sabah,” Shafie said at party function held in Sepanggar on Sunday. 

“The largest number of seats DAP ever won in Sabah was six, and that was only when they allied with Warisan. 

“Historically, they haven’t won much on their own,” he said.   

Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) gained cabinet positions together with Warisan after the 2018 state elections and is also present in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state administration after switching their allegiance in 2022.  

Shafie also regretted Warisan’s support of PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s prime ministership after the 2022 general election resulted in a hung parliament. 

“Warisan didn’t hesitate to support Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister after the elections, due to our alliance with PH at the time. But looking back, it’s clear that these national parties prioritise their own positions. If they don’t get what they want, they threaten to leave,” he said.  

The Semporna MP also said Warisan wanted to gauge the reaction of peninsula-based party leaders about its contesting in West Malaysia elections.   

“I didn’t contest in Kuala Lumpur to win seats necessarily… (but) We’ve seen how these parties come to Sabah seeking seats, but when we contest in the peninsula, they block us.  

“Their focus is not on the people of Sabah but on securing positions for themselves.” 

Towards this end, Shafie said Warisan would prioritise the interests of Sabah residents over forming alliances with West Malaysia-based parties.  

His views came amid widely reported talks that Warisan and Sabah Umno would cooperate to face next year’s state elections. – August 12, 2024.