KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan will contest all 73 seats in the upcoming Sabah polls even if any local party from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) decides to leave the coalition, says Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
The Warisan president said he had met Sabah STAR president Daruk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan in September 2024 on his party's intention to leave GRS.
"Jeffrey told me he wanted to leave GRS – that was in September 2024. Till today, the party is still there (in GRS)," Shafie told reporters at his residence here after a courtesy call by political counsellor from the US Embassy Chris Carver, on Monday (Aug 18).
Shafie said Sabah STAR was consistently talking about defending Sabah and its rights.
"They have the voice but are still inside (GRS). It's inconsistent with what they're saying on state rights," he said.
He said Warisan's focus was on Sabah and its people, not about making alliances just to hold on to power.
Shafie said he would ensure every candidate picked would serve the people if they won, not just to search for projects for personal gain.
He said Sabahans were a united people irrespective of the culture, religion or race but some sadly continue to play divisive roles just to stay in power, doing little for the people for decades.
"Families are divided because of politics," he said, adding that Jeffrey defeated his brother Tan Sri Joseph Parin Kitingan (Parti Bersatu Sabah) in Tambunan in the 2018 election.
"Some effort must be made to unite Sabahans by using just one party.
"We must not sell the future of children for any personal political agenda," he said, adding that the eight-party GRS under Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor had failed to meet the expectations of Sabahans.
Calling for a "wake-up call", he said that there was no need for Sabahans to depend on political warlords and families.
Asked if Warisan would still forge an alliance in the event of a hung assembly, he said Warisan was providing the platform for the people to decide their future.
"We have been in the Opposition for six years and it is important for Sabahans to decide their future. I cannot assume we will not have the numbers.
"We leave the choice to the people, we are not driven by greed" he said.
