Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan ruled out any polls pact or alliance with any party, including Star and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) which exited the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition recently, in the coming state election.
Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the party will maintain its stance of going solo.
“It’s the right of other parties to form alliances or go their separate ways, but Warisan will focus on championing Sabah’s interests independently.
“We aim to form the new state government by securing a two-thirds majority so that we can develop Sabah and address the people’s needs, especially water and electricity supply issues, as well as fighting for the rights and interests of the State and its people,” he said.
“In terms of the nation, I support the national government. But in the State, I’m fighting for Sabah’s rights, MA63, all the rights that we have.
“When I look at it now, they say they want Sabah, Sabah, Sabah. They have been in the government for five years. When they are split, (they say) there is no justice.
The justice is according to them, not according to principle.” Sabah Star and SAPP announced their departure from GRS last week after the dissolution of the State Assembly, saying they wanted to pursue a new direction focused on local political cooperation and a fresh Sabah-based movement ahead of the polls.
Shafie said Warisan intends to work directly with the people rather than be drawn into political manoeuvring among other local parties.
“We have decided, we have announced, we are working with the people of Sabah — not with any party. It’s not Star, not GRS, not any coalition that will decide the government. The people of Sabah will,” he said.
He questioned the clarity of direction among the other local parties, saying that seeing more alliances forming risks dividing Sabahans further.
Shafie also dismissed speculation that Warisan might form alliances with other parties, saying the party’s supreme council had twice decided to contest all 73 seats under its own banner.
He pointed out that history shows solo parties can govern effectively, citing past administrations such as Usno and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), which each ruled Sabah for a decade without coalition partners.
“The people of Sabah will decide who governs, not the parties,” he said, adding that coalition politics too often leads to infighting over positions rather than solutions.
“They fight over who becomes Chief Minister or Finance Minister. But we want to fight for water, jobs and food,” he added.
Shafie said Warisan will unveil its mission and vision for Sabah’s development once its list of candidates is finalised, including strategies to monetise the State’s natural wealth, such as gas, oil and land, for the benefit of its people.