KIMANIS, Jan 5 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has warned certain parties not to play up and bring in a political culture of disunity to the state.

Mohd Shafie, who is Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president, said that while every party contesting in the Kimanis Parliamentary by-election has the right to campaign, it must be done in an orderly manner.

"If you want to win votes, go ahead win votes, you want to fight, do so but don’t use divisive (politics) by using (the issues of) race and religion.

"We are peaceful in Sabah, do not drag and bring the culture which will disunite the people in Sabah,” he told reporters after launching a Warisan branch in Kelatuan near here today.

The Kimanis by-election will see a one-on-one clash between Warisan and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates.

Warisan is betting on Kimanis Warisan Division chief Datuk Karim Bujang, 67, who would be challenged by BN candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin, 48, who is also Kimanis Umno division chief.

The Election Commission (EC) sets the polling day on January 18, while the early voting is on January 14. — Bernama