SANDAKAN: Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has signalled closer cooperation with Sabah STAR and Parti KDM ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), although electoral arrangements have yet to be finalised.
The presence of Parti KDM acting president Priscella Peter and Sabah STAR acting deputy president Datuk Lawrence Gimbang, accompanied by members of their respective parties, at Warisan's 10th annual general meeting here on Sunday (Oct 25) added to indications of closer ties among the three Sabah-based parties.
Both leaders also joined Warisan's leadership in cutting the party's anniversary cake.
Asked about cooperation with the two parties during a press conference after the AGM, Shafie pointed to their attendance.
"Their presence here today is quite clear," he said.
Shafie said he had worked with various political parties throughout his career, including Umno, PKR and Amanah, and had learnt from those experiences.
He stressed that political cooperation should be based on sincerity and mutual strengths rather than one party seeking to dominate another.
"The strength of one party can help overcome the weaknesses of another. We should not take everything simply because we are stronger," he said.
He said the priority was to ensure that any cooperation translated into electoral success.
"What is important is winning. There is no point fielding candidates if they cannot win," he said.
However, Shafie indicated that discussions on electoral arrangements remained at an early stage, with the ability of potential candidates to win among the considerations.
He also reiterated Warisan's intention to contest 26 parliamentary seats in Sabah and Labuan in GE16, comprising 25 in Sabah and one in the federal territory.
He did not elaborate on how the seats would be contested or whether any seat-sharing arrangement would be worked out with other Sabah-based parties.
Shafie said Sabah's limited representation in Parliament meant cooperation with the Federal Government remained necessary, regardless of political differences.
"Whether we like it or not, we have to work with KL," he said.
He noted that Sabah held only 25 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, making it important for the state to maintain working relationships at the federal level.
Nevertheless, he maintained that Sabah-based parties were capable of defending the state's interests, pointing out that Malaysia was formed in 1963 without the involvement of Peninsular-based political parties in Sabah.
He said Warisan's struggle remained centred on safeguarding Sabah's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), including its 40% revenue entitlement and matters involving education, healthcare and employment opportunities.
Shafie said honouring commitments made during Malaysia's formation was essential to strengthening national unity and ensuring Sabahans received the rights and benefits promised to them.
He also urged political leaders to remain connected with grassroots communities rather than relying solely on social media popularity.
"We do not want leaders who are only known on TikTok and WhatsApp," he said, stressing the importance of listening directly to the people.
Warisan had previously expressed openness to cooperation with Sabah STAR and Parti KDM, although no formal electoral pact has been announced.
