KOTA KINABALU, May 3 ― Former state deputy chief minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah is expected to join Parti Warisan Sabah later today.
The ex-Tanjung Papat assemblyman was among Gerakan’s candidates speculated to contest in the Sandakan by election but plans fell through when he quit the party late last month. Tan was formerly Sabah Gerakan chairman.
A source told Malay Mail that Tan is expected to meet and hand over his Warisan membership application form to the ruling party president and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal later today in Sandakan.
Both are scheduled to attend a 1.30pm luncheon meet at the Taman Indah Jaya Recreation hall in the east coast city.
An official letter informing the police of the luncheon, and signed by the party's executive secretary Arifin Asgali was sighted by Malay Mail.
Several of Tan’s followers are expected to join him in Warisan although the numbers have yet to be confirmed.
Gerakan president Dominic Lau announced late last month that the former Barisan Nasional component party would not contest Sandakan due to a lack of suitable candidates when Tan resigned despite being tipped as pick for the parliamentary seat.
According to Lau, 35 members resigned en masse after Tan. All of whom were, like Tan, from Sabah Progressive Party before joining Gerakan in 2009.
Tan’s former constituency, Tanjung Papat is one of the state constituencies in the Sandakan parliamentary constituency.
The Sandakan parliamentary seat, a DAP stronghold, fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Stephen Wong on March 28.
Tan lost his seat in the last elections to DAP’s Datuk Frankie Poon who obtained a 5,818 majority over him.
Aside from the deputy chief minister’s post, Tan was also Industrial Development Minister before GE14.
