KOTA KINABALU: There is nothing wrong with having slogans, as long as they carry meaningful messages to the people, says Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Shafie stated that slogans, like ‘Sabah for Sabahans’, should not be dismissed outright, emphasising that many past and present governments have used them to convey their visions and goals.
"There is nothing wrong with slogans. Even the current government has its own slogan, like ‘Malaysia Madani’. We also had ‘1Malaysia’, and in the past, there was ‘Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah’.
"What matters is the intention and content behind the slogan. If it reflects our aspirations and plans for the people, then there is no harm in using one," he told reporters after attending the ‘Himpunan Rakyat Selamatkan Sabah’ in Tungku, Lahad Datu, on Saturday (May 24).
Shafie stressed that embracing Sabah identity or slogans does not mean they are against people from Peninsular Malaysia.
"Just because we say ‘Sabah for Sabahans’, it does not mean we hate anyone from the Peninsula. In fact, I have grandchildren in Kelantan, Johor, and Sarawak, and I love them.
"In different states, like Johor, their Sultan called for a united voice for Johor, as did Kelantan and Sarawak. So if they can do it, why can’t we? It does not mean we want separation. It is about unity of voice," he stressed.
Shafie noted that instead of fighting over slogans, discussions should focus on solving people’s problems.
On another matter, Shafie reiterated that Warisan would be contesting solo in the upcoming 17th state election, but the focus would be on winnable seats, not quantity.
"Going solo means we may contest all 73 seats, but our priority is to go for winnable ones. If there is strong grassroots support and the people want Warisan to contest, we will consider it.
"Our focus is on working with the people of Sabah, not aligning with any particular political party. It is the people who will ultimately decide who forms the government, not the parties," he said.
He also noted that Warisan is not part of any political pact and will not interfere in discussions among other coalitions.
"If a coalition wants to have discussions among themselves, that is entirely up to them. We are not interested in interfering," he said.
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