Shafie: Warisan to continue its ‘mandate with Pakatan’

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal says his party will continue its “mandate with Pakatan Harapan” despite the plan by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to expand to the state.

Breaking his silence after Friday’s announcement by Prime Minister and Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he said: “We cannot stop them, or any other party for that matter. Our laws also allow for new parties to be formed.

“We are, however, very clear with our party’s stand and direction.

“We have worked with Pakatan before, and after the elections, we formed the federal government together.

“We will continue to work with them in the best interests of the people,” he said in a statement read out to the media after an event at the state legislative assembly building here yesterday.

Shafie said he was aware of the feelings of Warisan supporters and the people in Sabah over Bersatu’s decision.

“The people of Sabah have given Warisan the mandate to govern Sabah. They were fed up with the Umno-Barisan Nasional government and wanted a change for the better.

“We respect that mandate and will continue to do our best to govern the state to ensure what Sabahans want us to do in terms of development, and providing jobs, is done.

“This was promised and we will ensure it is delivered,” he said.

“My advice (to grassroots) is not to be emotional and remain focused.

“Governing Sabah to the best of our ability and ensuring that our rights will be reinstated and affirmed as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) remains our priority,” he said.

Shafie had said several times earlier that he hoped the peninsula-based party would not set up base in Sabah.