People's priorities main focus of Warisan, says Shafie
KOTA KINABALU (Aug 18): Parti Warisan (Warisan) will contest the upcoming state elections on its own, with the people's priorities as its main focus, said its president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
Responding to analyst reports predicting no single party will secure a majority, Shafie said Warisan has been an opposition party in Sabah for six years, and the priority is ensuring Sabahans decide their own future.
'I cannot make assumptions that if we don't have the numbers, then we have to work with others — we're not driven by greed.
'I'm worried that an election partner would be more concerned about benefits from the seats they win. To me, we need clarity. Let us be the only choice for Sabahans — we must resolve the people's needs now,' he said after receiving a courtesy call from United States Embassy political counsellor Chris Carver at his residence here today.
Shafie stressed that Warisan will be selective in fielding candidates to prevent individuals implicated in corruption from further tarnishing Sabah's politics.
'We are not here to please them. We have to win the elections. I already told them that no corrupt practices will be tolerated,' he said.
When asked if Warisan, as the main local party, would work with other Sabah-based parties, Shafie emphasised that trust and consistency are crucial.
He revealed that a leader of a component party in a local coalition had told him they would leave the coalition last year, yet remained in it.
'This shows inconsistency. If they don't get the seats or arrangements they want, they will pull out. This means they are still thinking of themselves instead of the people, who still face water and electricity problems.
'Warisan was set up to fight for Sabah's rights, not to be YBs. We want proper leaders,' he said.
Although not discounting potential cooperation with local parties, Shafie stressed that Warisan's focus is to work directly with the people to drive transformative change.
On candidates, he said there are three to five potential individuals for each constituency, and all profiles are being scrutinised carefully.
'First, we have to win. Second, once they become YBs, they must serve their people. The people's voice must be the priority,' he said.
Shafie's meeting with Chris also touched on Sabah's economy, well-being and opportunities for international partnerships.
'Interestingly, we also talked about women's football, which is very popular in Sabah. Many Malaysian national team players are Sabahans, showing our strength and passion for the game,' he said.
He added that the US Embassy's recent soccer clinic in Sabah highlighted the potential for youth development and sports exchanges.
'It's always encouraging when Sabah is recognised not just for our resources, but for our people and their talents,' said Shafie.
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