Shafie needs time to think

Proposal to be PM not something to decide on his own, he says

Although honoured, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said he needs to think about the proposal for him to be the Opposition’s candidate for prime minister.

The Sabah Chief Minister said this was not something he could decide on his own, but added that he would definitely give it some serious thought.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had nominated Shafie as prime minister should Pakatan Plus win the next general election.

Pakatan Plus is the moniker for parties from the Opposition coalition and the splinter group of Bersatu members supporting Dr Mahathir, and Parti Warisan Sabah.

“I know it’s an honour coming from Tun M. But it will be a great challenge for me and I’ll definitely look into it seriously but give me some time,” he said.

Shafie said he would most likely announce something concrete within a month as there are other pressing issues in the state that he needed to attend to, including floods and the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said nation-building was among factors that he needs to take into account before responding to the suggestion.

When asked if he trusted the former prime minister, who failed to fulfil previous promises such as oil royalty payment and not bringing Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia into Sabah, Shafie said these were different matters.

When it came to nation-building, Shafie said, leaders would not just walk away or no longer work together just because their requests were not fulfilled.

“Same like when our wives want something we cannot give them, or don’t agree to what they want.

“We cannot just tell them that we want a divorce. That is not right,” he said.

“It is not that I have no experience at the federal level. I was there for 33 years, served in seven ministries and have been MP for six terms,” he said.