SANDAKAN: Parti Warisan is advocating for a common Sabahan identity as the foundation for unity among the state's diverse communities, says party deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking.
He said Sabah's interests should rise above racial and regional differences as factional politics has long undermined the state's development.
"Sabah's interests must be the common ground in our efforts to unite people of different ethnicities and regions to prevent the state from continuing to be divided by factional politics," he told reporters after jointly opening the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the party's Women, Wira and Wirawati wings at Dewan Yu Yuan here on Saturday (Oct 24).
Leiking said the struggle to defend Sabah's rights and interests should not be limited to specific groups or areas, but should instead be based on a shared sense of identity as Sabahans.
He said the tendency of political parties to divide people according to race, district and certain groups was one of the factors preventing Sabah from moving forward, even though many claim to champion the state's interests.
"Our common ground is Sabah. We all talk about fighting for Sabah, but when examined closely, most political parties in the state remain factional and represent their own respective groups.
"We cannot keep categorising people as belonging to one group or another because that is one of Sabah's problems to this day," he said.
Leiking said Warisan since its formation 10 years ago brought together members from various backgrounds, including the East Coast, West Coast, Interior and northern Sabah, proving the importance of building unity across regional differences.
He noted that Sabahans usually identify themselves first as Sabahans when they are in Peninsular Malaysia or overseas, and that same spirit should also be reflected in the state's political landscape.
Citing Sarawak as an example, Leiking said its emphasis on state identity and interests is something Sabah should pay closer attention to.
He said Warisan's political approach was to unite the people to prioritise development to be implemented effectively as the state lags far behind basic infrastructure needs like water supply, electricity and road infrastructure.
"Why are we still facing problems with water, electricity and roads? Because we allow ourselves to be divided by political leaders.
"Every party says they want to save Sabah, but the most important thing is to bring all the people together into one space," he said, adding that Warisan would continue to improve its shortcomings and make room for new leaders genuinely wanting to give priority to Sabah's interests.
"The principle that Sabah must always come first should be embraced collectively and not merely used as a political slogan, so that the state can achieve better change in the next general election," he added.
He also urged political groups not to play up issues related to district identities to incite hatred or divide the people, but should instead celebrate diversity as a source of strength for Sabah society.
"For me, we must think as Sabahans. I am proud of my ethnic identity, but first and foremost I am a Sabahan.
"If we hold on to the principle that Sabah always comes first, we can achieve a different kind of success compared to previous elections," he added.
Warisan's annual general meeting is seeing party elections with its founding president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Leiking retaining their respective posts unopposed.
However, there is an intense fight for the three elected vice-presidents' slots, with eight candidates contesting for the three-year term while 40 people are contesting for the 20 supreme council positions at the annual meeting in Sandakan on Sunday (Oct 25).
