KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal will leave it to Sarawak political parties to pursue the Borneo Bloc alliance.
He said that the issue of creating a Borneo Bloc was raised in the previous general election to strengthen regional collaboration and advocate for the Borneo states' rights.
"The idea is not about having a bloc here and a bloc there in the country. It's about how we can unite.
"We love our country, but our voice must be heard. Don't take it for granted. By strengthening regional cooperation, we can ensure the needs of our people are addressed.
"If common values are present, why shouldn't we have the idea of a Borneo Bloc? This is not just about Sabah or Sarawak, but about how we can unite to address our needs and maximise our resources," he said.
Speaking to reporters after attending the Warisan mooncake festival here on Saturday, Shafie said fostering stronger regional cooperation between the two states and Brunei could open shared development opportunities in various oil and gas and aviation industries.
Shafie said that he had proposed to the Sultan of Brunei to discuss establishing a joint airline initiative to serve the region when he was chief minister in 2018-20.
"I met with the Sultan of Brunei and proposed the idea of Borneo Airlines. Brunei has its own airline, Sabah has Sabah Air, and Sarawak has Hornbill. If we combine them, we can create regional airlines," he said, adding that it would lessen the dependence on external airlines.
