.JPG "Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (centre) at the launch of the partyu00e2u20acu2122s national chapter at the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur December 17, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Firdaus Latif")
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — Parti Warisan has arrived in Peninsular Malaysia with the launch of the party’s national chapter today.
President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said he was aiming to put Malaysia’s strongest asset, its people, back in the forefront without biases or a focus on race and religion.
Shafie said many have used Malaysia’s diversity to divide the nation.
“We cannot allow the voices of these bigots to take over the voices of reason in this country. We surely cannot allow these extremists to roam our airwaves and continue to poison the minds of our people.
“If we continue to allow this to happen, we have failed to honour the legacy of our forefathers in preserving their premise of our great nation, especially the future generations,” he said during the launch event at Sime Darby convention centre.
“As Warisan embarks on its journey at the national level, widening its wings across the South China Sea, our aim remains the same: We are here to build a nation, not a particular race or religion.”
At the launch today, Shafie pointed out that other countries in Asia faced the Covid-19 pandemic just as Malaysia, yet the latter remain mired in a health and economic crisis even as other nations have begun emerging from this.
The reason for this was because leaders in Malaysia were busy fighting for power, the former minister said.
“Everyone wants a change, especially the young ones. That’s why we have parties like Muda fighting for justice and equality.
“Right now, the people in power are just greedy for power, money, contracts. That’s when the Sheraton Move happened and they toppled the government to take charge.
“This crisis is worrisome. If the leaders don’t have good values, the nation falls. We’ve had three PMs in two years and this current one only has a five-person majority. What happens when they switch sides? Change another PM?” he asked.
Shafie also commented on the rejection of proposed amendments to raise the penalties available in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, which he said were excessive and nonsensical.
“We’re not driven by greed and desire. To fill our pockets, show off with many bodyguards travelling around. What’s the point of this when people can’t afford food and masks? Then what? We fine them RM100,000 for breaching SOPs?
“There must be choices for Malaysians come GE15 and we are providing them this structure for change. There must be a transition from race and religion to a more inclusive one.
“We don’t start tomorrow, we start today here in Kuala Lumpur,” he said to loud applause.
“We will provide the platform for our vision of multiculturalism and unity. It’s been 60 years and we’re still not united.
“I want to say here that Malays won’t die if there’s no Umno, Muslims won’t be neglected without PAS, Chinese can exist without MCA, and Indians as well can go on with life without MIC.”
Shafie said Malaysia was formed when all the races united, and not when one person tried their best to do everything to be prime minister.
“We should be driven by uniting the people not for greed to be prime minister,” said Shafie.
Shafie said Malaysia is now facing many obstacles that were concocted and ridiculous.
“Our attention has been diverted from pressing matters to things like religion, race, until even the Timah whisky was made a national issue.
“That’s why I say if the nation is based on race and religion it will not help but only divide us.
“We must be just and fair and not observe double standards. If we do this, how are we going to challenge other nations?
“Look at Dubai, one of the most progressive nations in the world, there you can drink alcohol, wear skirts no one bothers you.
“In Malaysia, we tell people who are drinking or eating non-halal food to sit elsewhere or go away. What’s wrong with sitting at the same table? Nothing,” he lamented.
In addition, Shafie said many educated Malaysians have left the country because they were overlooked due to ethnicity or religion.
This would make it hard for the country to attract human talent, he said.
“Hence in order to curb and stop all this we are going national to give the people an option to change the way we run the nation and be more inclusive and fair,” he added.
