SANDAKAN: Parti Warisan has reiterated that it is not going to join forces with other opposition parties in the coming election.
Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said Parti Warisan was not arrogant, but he opined that some parties were ‘friendly’ to Barisan Nasional.
“I cannot collaborate with them because some of them are ‘friendly’ to BN. I support whatever party that tries to take down the government, but I do not want to be tied to other parties.
“In the coming election, we are not fighting to be YB; we want to change the government (BN),” he added when commenting on the exit of Parti Cinta Sabah from the United Sabah Alliance (USA).
Meanwhile, DAP Sabah welcomed the idea of greater unity among all the key opposition parties as advocated by Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), when the party announced its withdrawal from United Sabah Alliance (USA) yesterday.
Its secretary Chan Foong Hin said DAP is open to the concept of forming a grand alliance consisting of all opposition parties both Sabah-based and Peninsular-based, as announced by PCS president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing.
“We appreciate the recognition given by PCS to us DAP, that we had taken the stand to commit in struggling based on the spirit of Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“In order to have a total revamp for the current establishment and fulfillment of the MA63, we must suscribe to the main objective for a total regime change at Federal level and State level. Our role is not king maker, always consider to work with King, whoever it is. We want a total regime change. DAP is on the same page as PCS in this perspective.”
The Sri Tanjong assemblyman said a grand alliance for all the key opposition parties could be either a formal pact like Pakatan Harapan which share a common election manifesto, or a loose electoral pact just to facilitate the seats negotiation.
“The bottom line is, minimize or avoid multi-corner fights, which would adversely affect our election results, especially in Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) majority seats.”
He recalled the history of the last general election in 2013, when it was undeniable that the opposition parties could have won more seats if multi-cornered fights were avoided.
“For parliamentary seats, apart from three seats, namely Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Penampang won, in fact four more seats, namely Kota Marudu, Keningau, Tenom and Pensiangan could have been grabbed as well in the last election.
“For state seats, instead of 12 seats, the opposition could have won up to 20 seats. The 12 seats are PKR: Moyog, Inanam, Api-api, Matunggong, Kadamaian, Tamparuli, Klias; DAP: Likas, Luyang, Kapayan, Sri Tanjong; Star: Bingkor, while the extra eight seats are Kiulu, Kundasang, Paginatan, Tambunan, Liawan, Melalap, Nabawan, Elopura,” he asserted.
“The calculation here is based on the sum of total opposition votes which were more than BN votes in those particular constituencies. It hasn’t include those seats BN nearly missed. With the latest scenario namely the emergence of Warisan in Muslim majority seats, led by Datuk Seri Shafie Aqdal, the former vice president of Umno, if all the key opposition parties work together under the proposed Sabah Grand Alliance, total regime change at both Federal and State level, is not impossible.”
Chan also said that any single political party that wished to contest most of the seats is not acceptable and cannot be compromised.
“DAP Sabah hopes that history will not repeat itself. I know the seat negotiation is going to be tough but we need to overcome our ego to achieve mutual understanding and tolerance with each other. Seat negotiation should be based on reasonable seat demand. All the political parties that are ready to form a Grand Alliance should consent on fair, equal and rational stand.”