Masiung’s entry boosts Warisan’s state seats to 29

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah now holds 29 seats in the state legislative assembly after independent Kuamut assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah joined its ranks barely a month after quitting Upko.

Masiung, a former Upko vicepresident, quit the party on Nov 24.

He submitted his application to join Warisan to secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr at the Tenom Community Hall yesterday.

Masiung said he chose to join Warisan as it was a multiracial party which made it a unifying platform for all ethnic groups in Sabah.

“The outcome of GE14 showed a shift among the people towards multiracial parties.

“Under the leadership of party president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Warisan is committed to continue fighting for Sabah rights.

“As the chief minister, he runs the state without looking at social class, race or religion,” he said.

Masiung said he believed the Warisan-led state government would help develop his constituency.

The two-term assemblyman was one of four Upko assemblymen who followed the party supreme council’s decision to switch allegiance from Barisan Nasional to the WarisanPakatan Harapan alliance in Sabah.

Masiung was the second assemblyman to leave the party after Nabawan assemblyman Datuk Bobbey Suan’s resignation in October.

At that time, Masiung said he was not thinking of joining another party and preferred to work as a government-friendly independent representative.