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KOTA KINABALU – Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has rebuffed former party vice-president Datuk Peter Anthony for his reasons for leaving the party, saying the decision to expand to the peninsula was supported by the supreme council and party members.
“It (Anthony’s departure) was not shocking, but I sympathise with him because he has expressed his intention multiple times after being embroiled in the court case.
“Anthony’s excuse that Warisan has gone off-track from its original purpose after expanding to the peninsula is also not true because in our previous supreme council meeting and annual conference (on December 12), all the supreme council members and party members supported the move,” he said in a statement today.
Shafie was commenting on Melalap assemblyman Anthony’s announcement that he was quitting Warisan and setting up a local party.
At a press conference yesterday, Anthony said Warisan had gone off-track with its expansion to West Malaysia, as Sabahans want a local party.
Anthony has formed and registered a new local party friendly to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government, but its details have yet to be announced. Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim also left the party with Anthony.
Shafie said Anthony contradicted himself when he said that he wants to form a party only for Sabahans but at the same time is friendly to GRS, which is led by national party Bersatu.
“GRS consists of Bersatu, Umno, PAS, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, and Sabah’s parties – Sabah Star, PBS, PBRS, and SAPP. It means that all decisions made by the GRS government are determined by the central party leaders.
“Anthony forming another party that is multi-racial and friendly to the government will only divide the people in Sabah and the rural communities.”
Shafie said Warisan is firm on its values and will not take a parochial stance to focus on a single race.
“We are here to build a nation, not a particular race or religion.”
He added that it was sad to learn that Juil left the party after being influenced by Anthony.
Juil is also a member of Pertubuhan Kadazan Dusun Murut Malaysia, a non-government organisation Anthony heads. – The Vibes, December 29, 2021