Warisan ‘unhooks’ from Pakatan, keeps options open on political alignment for GE15

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah is keeping its options open as it decides to “unhook” its informal association with the national opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition.

Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said being on their own, the party will work with the broad base of the opposition front on issues of common interest.

"We are PH minus now, not PH Plus as we were known previously," he said during an online forum titled 'The Perspektif' on Monday (April 5) when he was asked about Warisan's political alignment for the 15th General Election.

He said as a small party, they could not work alone and they would need to work with the national parties to form the next government.

But he gave little indication on the coalition that the party planned to work with.

He said it was important that there should be no one party dominating the other.

"It is not just a case of getting the numbers and getting a position," he said, adding that any alliance should honour the people's mandate given to the parties.

He said that in Sabah, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and higher oil royalties were the key issues of the people and if Warisan joins any coalition, it must honour these commitments.

Shafie said a lesson to be learned from Barisan Nasional was that Umno became too dominant in the multi-party coalition.

"We cannot be too dominant. It weakens partners. In this sharing of power, there must be sincerity and a working relationship to help one another," he said.

Shafie added that there were many offers for Warisan to join different political partnerships, but they were turned down.

"(For now), our priority is to strengthen our party," he said, adding the party was building its youth base nationally.

Shafie, however, did not comment on the growing speculation that it was teaming up with Muda (Malaysian United Democratic Alliance) led by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

There is talk that Muda will use Warisan’s logo if it is not registered.

Shafie said it was important for the voice of the youths to be taken into account and the country could not just rely on older generation leaders for its direction.

On logos to be used, he said it was important for the opposition holding the same political commitments to use a single logo so as not to confuse the people.

In the snap Sabah elections last year, he said he encouraged Warisan Plus partners to consider using the Warisan logo but only DAP used it.

"Those who contested under the Warisan logo did well, the others found their votes had declined," he said, referring to PKR and Upko who respectively used their own logos.

"People want to see what we are offering for the country," he said, adding that there was no need for a formal coalition.

Shafie said the narrow politics of race and religion should be avoided and focus should be towards rebuilding the economy with the economic pie shared by everyone.