Warisan to go solo in polls
Warisan secretary-general Datuk Loretto Padua Jr, who disclosed this, said the party would contest using its own logo and had no intention of forming any political pact.
He said talk that Warisan was joining Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) or making 'backdoor deals' was completely false.
'These are lies being spread deliberately on social media to confuse and mislead the public,' he said in a statement yesterday.
Loretto said Warisan's only alliance is with the people of Sabah and that it will continue fighting for their rights and future.
'We will not be a part of the ongoing political games. Our focus is on issues that matter, such as the rising cost of living, water and power disruptions, jobs and fair control over our own resources,' he said.
Loretto said he was disappointed that the office of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri had been dragged into the political mud.
'The TYT is above politics and must be respected. Do not use the TYT for political gain,' he added.
He urged Sabahans to stay focused and not be misled by distractions.
'The coming election is about choosing leaders who truly care about Sabah, not those who engage in political games,' he said.
He said Warisan has consistently remained the sole opposition party in Sabah and believed that forming coalitions was not the solution.
'The way forward is a firm, people-based movement that puts Sabah first. We will continue to work with the people, not political elites,' he added.
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He sees that the PH will bring in the DAP with the pull-in power to attract the Chinese voters, a strength no local Chinese party has. As he has always maintained, Sabah's governance must continue a close co-operation with the federal government for continued development, and partnership with PH in the PRN17 will ensure election victory and pre-seal close state-federal relations post-election. 'We need to be pragmatic and not be unduly influenced by emotion,' he said. 'Going solo may look heroic but that will be a path with huge potentials for mistakes!' He is not alone in his view. In a viral write-up by Usno Chief Information Officer, Iskandar Zulkarnain Ismail, he asserts that 'Let us not allow our common cause to be divided while our political opponents quietly reorganise to reclaim what we built. Let Sabahans see STAR, PBS, USNO and all GRS components rise as one, with clarity, maturity and determination — not out of frustration, but from a place of purpose and people's mandate. As Robert Greene wrote in The 48 Laws of Power, 'Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.' Our opponents are not attacking us directly — they are striking at our unity, hoping we scatter ourselves. Let us not oblige them. In the end, unity is not submission. To struggle within GRS is not to betray principles. To defend our home is not to isolate ourselves. It is to build collective strength, so our political house remains unshakable, and Sabah's future remains in Sabahan hands.' Another write-up forwarded to me by Usno President Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, opines that 'going 'solo' in a five or sixcornered fight may sound heroic, but the number works against voters, especially newcomers to the ballot box. When the field is splintered, a candidate can scrape through with barely eight or ten percent of the vote, meaning each ballot counts for less and whole communities risk being represented by someone most people never chose …. 'Beyond the numbers, frequent changes in government trigger a cascade of administrative resets: every time a new ruling bloc takes over, files are reopened, tenders reviewed, and projects paused. The PanBorneo Highway's stopstart history is a textbook example. Tens of thousands of commuters and businesses waited years while successive administrations rechecked paperwork instead of laying asphalt. Instability also chills federal support. Like it or not, Malaysia's treasury sits in Kuala Lumpur; when Sabah's leadership keeps revolving, officials in Putrajaya grow reluctant to release large, multiyear allocations, unsure whether the next state cabinet will even honour existing agreements. Shut the door on constructive dialogue, and Sabah slides to the back of the funding queue while other states with steadier governance move ahead. In short, a solo crusade may satisfy an urge for defiance, but it fragments voter power, stalls essential projects, and risks freezing out the very development funds firsttime voters want to see invested in their future. As such, GRS leaders and supporters appear to be already split. PBS has repeatedly made the assurance about its loyalty to GRS while STAR has gone along with the flow in GRS with a sizable segment of its members wanting a different path, echoing out the solo dream. But for all we know, Hajiji's choice to continue aligning with PH may actually be the most practical, logical and pragmatic – and wise – approach towards ensuring GRS keeps the seat of government post-PRN17. While cynics may speak negatively against his decision, he may eventually be proven right. His task now, of course, is the sell the idea to all GRS leaders and the people to ensure his formula for victory works out and ultimately solidifying his legacy as a statesman with the record as the longest-serving assemblyman.
