KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Melalap assemblyman Datuk Peter Anthony today announced his departure from Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) as its vice-president.
In the same breath, he said he is forming a new Sabah-based party together with Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim, who was also from Warisan.
Peter claimed Warisan had “strayed” from its original goal of fighting for Sabah rights by spreading its wings to peninsular Malaysia.
“Results in Sarawak’s state election showed they rejected the party from outside the state.
“So me and Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim will leave Warisan and join the Sabah coalition party friendly with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor,” Peter told a news conference at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport earlier this morning.
However, Peter did not elaborate about the party when asked and only said it was his struggle for Sabahans.
“I believe my struggle is not a personal struggle but this is my struggle for the people, my responsibility to the people of Sabah.
“The people of Sabah wanted Warisan because it was a local party. Once Warisan spreads its wings to peninsula, it clearly shows that the party has strayed from its foundations,” he said.
Peter — a local leader with his power base in Tenom and interior ¬— is seen as the representative of the non-Muslim indigenous of Sabah as he has been the president of influential NGO Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) Malaysia.
It is said that the new party will bring the voice and platform for KDM.
In the last state election on October last year, Warisan who joined by Pakatan Harapan only won 32 seats compared to GRS comprising Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), which won 38 seats.
Since then, Warisan has already lost three more state seats with the departures of Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi (Segama), Hassan A Gani Pg Amir (Sebatik) and Yusof Yacob (Sindumin).
Both Mohamadin and Hassan joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to support Hajiji while Yusof remained an independent assemblyman.
Peter is also facing charges of using false documents relating to a system maintenance contract seven years ago and was ordered by the Kuala Lumpur sessions court earlier this month to enter his defence.
Sessions judge Azura Alwi made the order on December 14 after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against Peter.
The judge fixed five days for Peter to enter his defence beginning January 3. Peter has chosen to testify under oath.
