KOTA KINABALU: Buoyed by the strong Chinese support for Parti Warisan in last year’s state election, the party’s election this weekend is being closely watched on whether its delegates will pick a multi-racial with regional mix of leaders for its new line-up.
Both party president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and his deputy Datuk Darell Leiking have retained their positions unopposed, the watch now is on the eight candidates vying for the three vice-president slots, which is being seen as a free for all.
Political observers are watching if the delegates will go for not only a multi-racial mix in the three vice-president slots but also accommodate leaders from the west coast to reflect the party’s push for an image to reflect representation from across the state.
The vice-presidential race will see incumbents Sulabayan assemblyman Datuk Dr Jaujan Sambakong, Tanjung Aru assemblyman Datuk Junz Wong and former Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun defending their positions.
In the race is also former Sepanggar MP Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman, Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, Darau assemblyman Azhar Matussin, Kapayan assemblyman Chin Tek Ming as well as the party’s Kota Belud deputy chairman Charles Ebbie.
Political analysts said that the vice-president race was the “most meaningful” for the party election as it will be the first time the VP line-up will be decided by open contest rather than consensus.
“It is a genuine test. Warisan's balance among Bumiputra Muslim, Chinese and native Kadazandusun-Murut leaders has always been an unwritten convention, not a constitutional rule.
“Under a top-three vote, nothing guarantees that balance. If delegates elect a balanced line-up on their own, it shows multiracialism is owned by the members, not just managed by the leadership,” Sabah UiTM lecturer Tony Paridi Bagang said.
“I think it is a measure of internal cohesion ahead of GE16. The Kadazandusun-Murut slot is the most exposed, because Warisan's base is strongest among Chinese urban and east coast voters.
“If the leadership has to correct the outcome through appointments, rivals will question whether Warisan's multiracial image extends beyond its top leadership,” he added.
Bagang said that the outcome will reflect if Warisan's multiracial image lives among the delegates or is maintained by leadership management.
Other observers are also watching whether party delegates will also push to include more leaders from west coast into the top leadership for the three-year term (2026-2029).
Apart from the VP race, 39 others are contesting 20 supreme council seats at the 10th annual general meeting in Sandakan where some 3,500 party delegates and members from all its wings were expected to attend from Oct 24-25.
The women's wings is also seeing contests with incumbent Wanita chief Norfaizah Chua facing Jenifer Lasimbang while the Wirawati chief post is also seeing a straight fight between Sabrina Yahya and Norsabrina Japar with Munirah moving vying for the vice president slot.
It is understood that 15 of the party’s 26 divisions have elected new chiefs during the respective division meetings as part of the party’s move to refresh its grassroots representations that were hit by defections since the last party election.
Warisan, which is in opposition to the ruling state Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) but remains part of the federal government, won 25 of the 73 seats in the state election and emerged the single party with the largest number against the six party GRS coalition that won 29 seats.
Warisan failed to make inroads into the native Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus seats with its wins coming mostly from the east coast Muslim bumiputra areas as well a strong swing from the urban Chinese seats across the state.
