KUALA LUMPUR – Warisan has officially announced its nationwide expansion and will be making its debut outside Sabah in the upcoming 15th general election, offering its president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal as the “prime minister for all Malaysians”.
The party will now compete in what is already a congested political landscape in the peninsula, with Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) main coalitions already in the fray.
The originally Sabah-based entity is positioning itself as a centre-spectrum party, as opposed to what it claims as a left-wing PH and right-wing BN and PN, and will push a “balanced narrative”.
It is unclear if it will formally cooperate with any other parties, but Warisan and Muda, which is led by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, have been cozying up in recent months.
Pejuang, founded by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is a known ally of Shafie, could also be another potential option.
During his officiating speech at the event today, Shafie admitted that the party “cannot enter a battle alone” and that it needs alliances in order to succeed, but added that its allies must share the same principles.
The former cabinet member also highlighted the divisive politics being played up along racial lines by parties in the country, which he said must cease immediately.
With a need to move away from the current political system based on race and religion, he said it fell to Warisan to offer a new choice for the rakyat in the upcoming general election.
“There must be a transition now, it can’t wait for tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. We must start today. We must have the will to make change.
“If we don’t do it, then we will never be able (to promote politics of inclusiveness). We have gained independence for over 60 years, yet the issue of race is being played up.
The Malays won’t die if there is no Umno, Muslims won’t die if there is no PAS, the Chinese won’t die if there is no DAP. There is no Umno in Indonesia, no PAS in Brunei or DAP in China.
“When we use race and religion, it is very divisive,” he said.
Among those present at the Warisan event include Syed Saddiq as well as members of the just-launched, Siti Kasim-led Gerak Independent movement.
Shafie said the country also needs to do away with leadership crises that are constantly plaguing political parties across the divide.
He noted how leaders who were driven by greed and lust for power had caused the collapse of the PH government in March 2020, despite the rakyat giving their mandate to the coalition in the last election.
Shafie also slammed the PN and BN administrations for failing to address the Covid-19 pandemic and for their misplaced priorities as other countries in the region have fared considerably better.
With a motto of “our nation, our heritage, our future”, Warisan vowed to protect the sanctity of the federal constitution and to hold the objectives and precepts of the Rukun Negara as its guiding principles.
Warisan was established in October 2016, prior to the last general election, and was aligned with PH when it competed in the 2018 polls, helping the coalition on its course to the historic victory then.
The party also won seats in Sabah, forming the state government there with Shafie as chief minister before losing power in September 2020 after it lost the snap election, which was triggered by a political crisis. – The Vibes, December 17, 2021
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