Leiking (centre) with carollers at the Penampang Christmas thanksgiving at Donggongon on Sunday (Dec 16).
PENAMPANG: The Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president is confident that the top leadership of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will honour their pre-election promise not to set up a wing in the state.
Datuk Darell Leiking (pic) stressed that there has always been an unwritten understanding between the parties that local-based Warisan will work together with Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties, including Bersatu, despite being independent from the coalition.
"I believe Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Bersatu chairman) and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin (Bersatu president) will maintain their promise even though there are some people in their party who think Sabah is like Kuala Lumpur.
"Sabah is not Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur is not Sabah," he told reporters after officiating the Penampang Christmas Thanksgiving celebrations at Buhavan Square, Donggongon, on Sunday (Dec 16).
The Penampang MP, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said that the public should remember the so-called "people" in Sabah who are asking for Malaya-based Bersatu to set up a chapter in the state.
"Of course it's their constitutional right (to set up Bersatu in Sabah) and I cannot stop them from exercising that. But these people are encouraging Bersatu to breach their understanding with us.
"Always look at these people first. Have these people been saying good things about PH? Weren't these the same people who called us traitors (for agreeing to work with PH)?
"Now suddenly they want to use Bersatu to 'unite' Sabahans? Come on!" Leiking said.
It is widely speculated that former Sabah Umno leaders who became independents after leaving the party en masse on Wednesday (Dec 12), will start a Sabah chapter of Bersatu to draw out Umno members in the state.
Bersatu has not officially stated that they are spreading their wings to Sabah, while Pakatan partners like DAP and PKR are pressuring Bersatu not to accept ex-Sabah Umno leaders.
Earlier on Sunday, however, Bersatu vice-president Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Ab Rahman said it would be good for the people to support Bersatu instead of having many parties in the state.
This is because Bersatu can play a role in "uniting" the people of the state, he added.
"What is important for the rakyat? I believe Bersatu, if given the support, will be able to provide the leadership and unite the people," he said.
Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr, who was also present at the Penampang Chrismas celebrations, said that Bersatu should stick to its election promise to leave Warisan to handle Sabah.
He said Warisan had worked with Dr Mahathir and Pakatan partners in the general elections in May and took the heat when Umno and other opponents accused Warisan of being Bersatu's proxy in Sabah.
He said the former Umno members have the right to join Bersatu but there was no need for Bersatu to set up shop in the state.
"I believe Bersatu will honour their promise to Warisan," he added.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
