All signs point to ex-Warisan rep joining Sabah BN

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, who quit Parti Warisan last year to go independent, is likely to join Barisan Nasional.

The Sindumin assemblyman, however, remained coy when asked by reporters if his attendance at Sabah Barisan’s Hari Raya gathering here on Thursday (May 19) signalled his intention to join the coalition.

"I have previously stated that I have joined Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and pledged support for our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob," he said when met at the Magellan Sutera Harbour Resort here.

"I have made my decision (on which party to join) so it is just a matter of announcing it," he added.

When pressed if he had submitted an application form to Sabah Barisan, Dr Yusof, who was clad in a blue baju Melayu, said "I have filled up a form".

"On joining the party, I will leave it to Sabah Barisan chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to announce it," he added.

When asked if he had received the form from Yusof, Bung said he will make an announcement on the matter in "one or two days."

"It’s about time ... in principle (he has already joined Barisan)," the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister added.

Yusof, a former state minister under the previous Warisan Plus state government, had quit Warisan on Oct 8, 2021, to become an Independent supporting the state and federal governments.

Speculation has been rife following the 66-year-old’s departure from Warisan that he would be returning to his old party Umno.

At the same time, there has also been talk that the Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia was also trying to woo him into joining the party.

Meanwhile, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia (KDM) president Datuk Peter Anthony declined to comment when asked of his views over KDM not being accepted as an official component party of GRS yet.

"I will comment on June 2, let’s enjoy the Kaamatan festival for now," he said.

Anthony, formerly a Warisan vice-president, had quit the party in December last year to throw his support behind GRS and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

On May 9, Hajiji, who is GRS chairman, said that the coalition's supreme council had accepted the application of the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), led by former Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin.

However, the meeting did not make any decision on accepting KDM; Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), led by former foreign minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman; and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by Datuk Chin Su Phin.

GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai subsequently explained that the three parties' applications would be considered in due course as they needed more time to work with the parties concerned before considering.