New coalition to split votes
SEMPORNA: Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal yesterday accused Putrajaya of setting up a new opposition coalition to split votes, by “sponsoring” smaller parties in the Sabah state election.
Prime Minister and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Saturday announced the formation of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) comprising Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah.
Shafie, who is caretaker chief minister, said Sabahans would not be easily fooled by the move.
“Sabahans are not easily fooled by (the formation of) GRS because they know what they need to do.
“They want to sponsor a few small parties with the intention of toppling this current government,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Shafie added the federal government had set up too many coalitions, including Muafakat Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and GRS.
He also said that more facilities would be built, especially in Semporna, which is a tourism spot.
“There is an increase in local tourists here and I understand that a few resorts have resumed their operations.
“We hope to restore the tourism business like it was before. We also want to prioritise the visitors’ safety,” added the Semporna member of parliamen.
Shafie also said there was no problem in the distribution of seats among the Warisan Plus coalition for the state election. He said the coalition parties complied with every decision of the leadership to enable the planned work to be organized well and orderly.
Through good negotiations between Warisan, DAP, PKR and Amanah, he said all the candidates placed in their respective seats had been agreed by all parties.
“In fact, we will help each other in this campaign so that all candidates from the Warisan Plus coalition are victorious,” he said.
Shafie said any seats in Warisan Plus coalition would be assisted and through the support from all the parties would convince the people with the union that had been formed.
“The Warisan Plus coalition has the same goal which is to maintain the previous leadership position held and create a government that can help the people,” he said.
Shafie added if the work is carried out consistently throughout the state election campaign, the people would understand the real struggle and direction of the party.
Earlier when visiting the District Voting Centre at Kampung Simunul in Lahad Datu, Shafie said the state government is working closely with the Health Ministry to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Lahad Datu.
“We will do our best to stop the spread of the virus, especially during this campaign period now,” he said.
The Warisan president said response from the rakyat to the party is very encouraging.
“Today we have youths from Umno who ditched the party for Warisan. This is a good sign and with God’s grace, we will retain not only Senallang but also Bugaya and Sulabayan,” he said.
Shafie said the cooperation between Warisan, Upko and Pakatan Harapan is intact and they will be helping each other in the state election to ensure that they will win in the seats contested.
“We will be helping each other and that will bring us success as we all have the same ‘matlamat’ (objective), which is to defend our power at the state level and I am confident if we keep this up, the rakyat’s halatuju is clear,” he added.
When asked to comment on Muhyiddin’s endorsement of Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor as chief minister if Perikatan Nasional (PN) is given the mandate this Sept 26, Shafie said that it is his right to say so.
“It is up to them and this depends on whether Umno or Dr Jeffery (Sabah STAR president) agrees… they can say it, it is their right,” he said.
Shafie who was also asked about the absence of federal political leaders in Semporna, replied, “I do not know why, maybe they feel that it’s quite a distance. Maybe they know it is Warisan’s stronghold. They were in power here for so long but we wrestled it from them and now they feel that it is not easy to defeat Warisan.”
When asked for his opinion about the quarantine order on Sabahans working in Peninsular Malaysia returning after the Sabah state election but not on federal political leaders who were campaigning in the state, Shafie said that the order should serve everyone.
“I was made to understand that Sabahans working in Peninsular Malaysia who come back to work will have to undergo quarantine when they go back to Peninsular Malaysia.
“But it’s not the same for federal leaders who come here for campaigning. I am of the opinion if the government makes an order, then it should be for all,” he said.