ALL SMILES:
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Azis Jamman, who is also Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) Youth chief and the party’s secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr (front row – fourth and fifth right, respectively) join Warisan branch chiefs in a photo-call taken during an event in Lahad Datu. Mohd Azis witnessed the handover of membership application forms from the branch chiefs to Loretto yesterday. It is reported that 15,000 members of 114 branches of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have left the coalition to join Warisan.
LAHAD DATU: About 15,000 Barisan Nasional ( BN) members, including from 114 Umno branches in Silam led by former Lahad Datu assemblyman Datuk Mohd Yusof Apdal, joined Parti Warisan Sabah ( Warisan) yesterday.
Yusof, who is the younger brother of Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, said they decided to cross over as they wanted to fight together and bring more development to this area.
Their membership forms were received by Warisan secretarygeneral Loretto S Padua Jr who said the fight of Warisan on the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) is more focused and effective than others.
He said anyone is free to establish a party and fight for the MA63.
“However, we are the government and Warisan as the government is more committed in defending the rights of Sabahans,” he said in response to former Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s plan to set up a party based on MA63.
Loretto also said the decision to cooperate or merge with Anifah’s party would be up to Shafie, who is the Chief Minister of Sabah.
In the meantime, Loretto stressed that Warisan would not be alarmed even if Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia ( Bersatu) decided to enter Sabah.
However, he said it would be better to let Warisan, as the local party, serve the people in Sabah, as demanded by the people, as it understands the needs of its own people.
Earlier in his speech, Loretto welcomed the new members to Warisan and hoped the existing members would accept them with an open heart.
He said the new members should start anew and must not bring negative behaviour into the party.
“What is important is that the new members understand our fights and together, strengthen the party so that we could provide excellent service to the people,” he added.
Meanwhile Warisan Wira chief Datuk Azis Jamman, who is Deputy Home Affairs Minister, reminded the new members to leave behind any bad culture as ‘the people are watching’.
He said people decided to change the previous government as they were not pleased with the approach or behaviour of Umno members.
“I hope the new members would further strengthen our party and the old members would cooperate without worrying, as their struggle and sacrifice would not be forgotten,” he added.