Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu DAPSY chief Jasper Shim challenged Parti Warisan Sabah Deputy President Datuk Junz Wong to explain the party’s track record instead of relying on political and emotional rhetoric.
He said Junz’s argument that Sabah needed stronger Warisan parliamentary representation to gain greater bargaining power at the Federal level did not explain why voters should entrust the party with more seats.
Shim said if Warisan believed a larger number of MPs would automatically strengthen Sabah’s voice in Parliament, its incumbent MPs should first explain what they had achieved for their respective constituencies.
He said Junz had cited recent setbacks suffered by the Federal ruling coalition in several states in Peninsular Malaysia as an example of voters using their ballots to pressure the Government to adjust its policies, but said the same principle should apply to Warisan.
Shim said Warisan had previously led the Sabah Government and was now part of the Federal governing coalition, with three MPs and a deputy minister within the Government camp.
He said Warisan should therefore be prepared to have its record scrutinised, both during its time leading Sabah and in its current role in the Federal Government, if it sought a fresh mandate from Sabahans.
Shim challenged Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Mohd Yusuf Apdal, Kota Belud MP Datuk Munirah Majilis, Junz and other Warisan leaders to publicly present their records for the past term for Sabahans to assess.
He also challenged Junz, who is Warisan vice-president and Tanjung Aru assemblyman, to disclose his record as a former state minister and elected representative, including the problems resolved, developments delivered, resources secured and promises fulfilled in the constituency.
Shim said issues such as the 40 per cent net revenue entitlement and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) should be pursued collectively by Sabah political forces rather than being used exclusively as election slogans, adding that DAP and Pakatan Harapan had also raised Sabah-related issues and pushed for policies and resources covering infrastructure, education, healthcare, public transport, water, electricity and economic development.
He said political strength should ultimately be measured by the ability of elected representatives to raise Sabah’s issues, secure policies and resources, hold the Government accountable and deliver results, adding that the next general election should be about which candidates had earned the people’s trust through their performance.
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