Shafie says Warisan will not join any opposition coalition
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) will not be joining any opposition coalition but will work with them to topple Barisan Nasional (BN).
Its president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, however, stressed that although there was no official agreement with the opposition parties in Sabah, it was important to work together towards the ultimate goal of changing the government.
Shafie said this when met by reporters after receiving membership application forms from 500 former MCA members led by its former Kapayan East branch youth leaders Eric Vun on Sunday night.
To the question if Warisan would be working with Pakatan Harapan Sabah in certain areas in the state, Shafie replied, “We will see first how it develops. We must form the government first. We must be very focused in our mindset.”
He was also asked to comment on talks that DAP was interested to contest in the Bingkor state seat and his reply was, “It is their right, they can contest in Semporna if they want to.
“It is not for me to say to them ‘please don't contest' - they can say as many times as they want where they want to contest and how many seats but what is more important is for Sabahans to choose the right party.”
The Semporna member of parliament said that all will be in the hands of Sabahans now.
“If you look at the US election, I think the Americans were feeling fed up with politicians, so they voted in a businessman.
“I think if the change is there, the wave will come. I am sure Sabahans will change,” Shafie said.
He also said that Warisan was ready but would not be complacent and instead work harder to make sure that it took over the state government.
“It is time for us to have the right mindset in terms of how we move forward, not only in terms of how we do things in life abut also from the aspect of governing the state and making decisions in the election.
“I am confident Sabahans are capable, but it must be a combination of not only the rakyat but the government as well. The right policy, the right mindset, the right instrument, machinery, if we have a very comprehensive approach I am confident Sabah can develop.
“Similarly in politics, we must have the right mindset, don't spoil your vote…I know it is your right to vote but don't spoil the vote. Choose the right platform and the right party and I believe the right party is Warisan,” he said.
In his speech earlier, Shafie told those who attended the dinner of what he went through when he was in MACC's custody.
“I am willing to sacrifice everything for Sabah and Sabahans and I am happy to hear that six new branches have been set up in Kapayan and the members are former MCA members,” he said.
Shafie also pointed out that Tun Mahathir Mohamad had offered him to be the deputy president of his party but he declined with the assurance that he will help them topple BN.
“We must form the state government so that we can be in control of our economy. It must be a local based government. If Sarawak can do it, why not Sabah?” he stressed.
When asked if BN will get more support following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's assurance that the government will ‘give back to Sabah what has been taken', Shafie replied, “I think Sabahans realise, for the last 50 years, they can say ‘will return the rights of Sabahans and Sabah', don't just talk, deliver.
“For the last 50 years, nothing was done. Sabahans are wise, they know and understand who can do it and who cannot.
“We do not hate people from Peninsular Malaysia, don't get us wrong, we are not trying to instigate the people. I love my country Malaysia but when we raise the issues that concerns Sabahans, there is no difference from the Kelantanese who had rejected BN.
“We are talking about what had been spelled out in the MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) that is why we demand not only respect, not only for them to realise (and) to know but to fulfil what had been agreed upon in the agreement,” Shafie reiterated.
Meanwhile, Vun said the decision to leave MCA and join Warisan was not an easy one as a lot of factors had to be taken into consideration.
He said a corrupt government would make the people's life more difficult but a good government will bring benefits to the people and promote economic development for the state.