KOTA KINABALU – Warisan will not be joining Perikatan Nasional (PN), putting paid to speculation that the federal ruling coalition would see its razor-thin majority in Parliament being boosted by the Sabah-based party’s seven MPs.
In announcing the decision, Warisan treasurer Terrence Siambun described as “humorous” a statement by PN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan earlier today to welcome the suggestion by PBS for Warisan to join the coalition.
PBS is friendly to both PN and Barisan Nasional, but is not a component of the two national coalitions.
All three form an alliance called the Gabungan Rakyat (GRS) which is in power over Sabah.
Earlier today, Jeffrey, who is deputy chief minister and Sabah Star president, a component of PN, had said that he has no issues with Warisan being part of PN, after PBS president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili proposed the idea.
Jeffrey said that he is open to all Sabah opposition parties joining PN.
Responding this evening, Siambun, in turn, proposed that Jeffrey should invite PBS to join PN instead.
“Could it be the case that PBS, just like Warisan, had also rejected Jeffrey’s overtures for PBS to officially join PN?” he questioned in an apparent jibe.
He stressed that Warisan does not want to be associated PN due to the presence of Islamist party PAS as one of its components.
He pointed out that PAS had rejected the bill to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with the peninsula.
Siambun was referring to the failure to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution in Parliament in 2019 when Pakatan Harapan held federal power.
“Jeffrey whose Sabah Star is a member of PN and (is) working closely with PAS, the party that has rejected the bill amendment initiated by Warisan Batu Sapi MP, the late Datuk Liew Vui Keong,” said Siambun.
He noted that the proposed amendment was to reverse the constitutional amendment done by Parliament in 1976, which downgraded the status of Sabah and Sarawak to mere states like in the peninsula.
The latest rejection culminates from a series of exchanges between Warisan and PBS after Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal recently expressed his interest in working with the fellow Sabah party.
Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who is state Umno chief, has also shared the view that they can cooperate with opposition Warisan. – The Vibes, May 21, 2021
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