KOTA KINABALU: The unity government must strengthen its components and not allow any party to be dominant within the government, says Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal (pic).
“Creating true unity without any one party being dominant is important for the stability and progress of Malaysia,” he said.
The Parti Warisan president will highlight the importance of equal standing among all parties in the government during a unity government convention in Kuala Lumpur this Sunday.
The convention, to be attended by 20 parties under the unity government, is aimed at showing solidarity in support of the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Shafie said it was important for the unity government to strengthen the component parties under its umbrella and avoid a scenario where only a certain party would eventually dominate the government.
“We must learn from what happened in the 60 years of Barisan rule. Umno became the dominant party but the price was paid by its components like MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
“They were strong and influential parties but their support was undermined due to the dominance of Umno within Barisan,” he said, adding that many Barisan component parties in Sabah also faced a similar fate.
“We cannot afford to repeat this: if this unity government is only dominated by PKR or Umno, what will happen to the other parties? Are they spectators only?” he told reporters after attending a Hari Raya open house hosted by the party’s Putatan division.
On Warisan’s political alignment in Sabah, Shafie said the party would hold an official meeting with Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
He added that Warisan’s cooperation at the central level was working well, but more efforts were needed at the state level, especially on the cooperation between Umno and Parti KDM.
Warisan remains in the opposition in the state although GRS is part of the unity government at the federal level.
On another matter, Shafie said Warisan would not contest in the six state elections in the peninsula.
“Warisan will play the role of supporting the unity government’s candidates in the state elections.
“I have informed the leaders of the unity government that we will not be contesting but will play a supporting role,” he added.
He said the decision not to contest also included the party’s decision not to defend the Teratai state seat in Selangor held by Bryan Lai Wai Chong.
“I have advised Warisan members in peninsula not to contest. I also informed leaders of the unity government that Warisan will not be asking for a seat even though at the initial stage there was a consideration to give Warisan a seat in Kedah,” he said.
Warisan contested in Peninsular Malaysia in GE15 but failed to win any seat.
