PETALING JAYA: Parti Warisan Sabah’s (Warisan) foray into Peninsular Malaysia via the Johor state election is seen as a test of its multi-ethnic appeal to voters.
Political analyst professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said that Warisan could be trying to gauge its support from the people on this side of the South China Sea by fielding six candidates in the March 12 election.
He said the seats being contested have multi-ethnic voters, which is a sign that the party is trying to assess the extent to which its multiracial politics is accepted in the peninsula.
The Universiti Malaya academician said victory in even a single seat would translate to a successful outing for Warisan, serving as a good indicator of the party’s appeal beyond its home state.
“If Warisan is able to create history by winning even one seat in Johor, it means that the party’s bargaining power becomes stronger,” he told theSun yesterday.
He said this may lead to the Sabah-based party spreading its wings to Peninsular Malaysia.
Awang Azman opined that failure to win even a single seat may have serious repercussions.
He added that Warisan is likely to lose more support, impacting it badly in Sabah, and causing its supporters to eventually leave the party.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had previously revealed that the party would be fielding lawyers, a double masters degree holder, businessmen, a non-governmental organisation leader and the son of a former Johor state secretary. He added that all their candidates are from Johor.
Shafie named Hishamuddin Busri for Pekan Nanas, Sandara Segaran Arumugam (Bekok), Mohamed Noor Suleiman (Mahkota), Chen Hain Kai (Johor Jaya), Lee Ming Wen (Bukit Batu) and Mohamed Ridza Busu (Permas).
Warisan was founded by Shafie in 2016 after his fallout with then prime minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Last December, Warisan launched its peninsula chapter and announced the party’s president as its prime minister candidate, stating that he “will be the prime minister for all”.