Shafie: Warisan still Sabah-centric despite Peninsular expansion, will contest state polls solo

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has reportedly insisted that Parti Warisan remains a Sabah-centric party, dismissing claims it lost that identity when it expanded to Peninsular Malaysia.

The Warisan president said the party has consistently fought for Sabah’s interests and will continue to share its vision for Sabahans in the upcoming state election.

“It’s meaningless to be known as a local party by name but our voice is not [outspoken on] local [issues]. Warisan is a local party,” he was quoted saying by Free Malaysia Today.

“When Warisan contested in the peninsula, some parties there accused us of being disruptive. But when their parties contest in Sabah, it’s not?” he asked, accusing certain West Malaysian parties of hypocrisy.

Shafie said the party’s expansion into the peninsula aimed to raise awareness among Malaysians about the capabilities of Sabah parties, noting that others like Parti Bersatu Sabah and Upko had done the same.

He also insisted that the party will contest the state election alone, without any alliance with Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, or Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.

Shafied added that going solo is part of Warisan’s plan to show it can form the next Sabah government independently, as Berjaya and PBS did in the past.

“If Berjaya and PBS could do it, why not Warisan?” he said, citing the administrations led by Tan Sri Harris Salleh and Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

Shafie was responding to former Warisan women’s chief Datuk Norazlinah Arif, who accused the party of losing its local identity.

Norazlinah had argued that Warisan’s move into Peninsular Malaysia, including fielding candidates in the 15th general election (GE15), showed it was shifting away from prioritising Sabah and positioning Shafie for the prime minister’s post.

In December 2020, Shafie announced that the party had unanimously decided to spread its wings to the Peninsula, starting with branches and divisions in Johor and Selangor, where there are high concentrations of Sabahans.

Subsequently, it contested in six seats in the Johor state election in 2022, and fielded more candidates in 24 federal and 16 state seats in Peninsular Malaysia for GE15.