Warisan not going alone in Sabah election - Mohd Shafie

PUTATAN, March 19 (Bernama) -- Parti Warisan (Warisan) will not face the next Sabah state election (PRN) alone and is now evaluating suitable parties to form a strong partnership, said its president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

The Semporna MP said Warisan is making a detailed assessment to ensure the party partners to be chosen will able to lead the same struggle for the people of Sabah and that the cooperation could last for a long period.

"It is true that some parties have been identified including UMNO at Sabah state level, but we have not decided anything yet (for cooperation) at this time, there are also many... local parties (for cooperation) which we will announce when the time comes.

"With Pakatan Harapan (PH) we already have (cooperation) at national level together in the Unity Government, in fact I was one of the first to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister," he said at a press conference after attending the Pemimpin Warisan Bersama Rakyat event here tonight.

In the 15th general election last year, Warisan which contested alone won three parliamentary seats out of a total of 52 parliamentary seats contested throughout the country. 

The 16th Sabah state election in 2020 saw Warisan who at the time collaborated with PH to form Warisan Plus  and won 32 seats in the Sabah State Assembly out of a total of 73 seats, while the term of the current state government will end in 2025.

Mohd Shafie said what is important now is for Warisan to strengthen the party first before taking the next step to establish cooperation with other parties.

He said Warisan will also prepare the party to face the Sabah PRN even if the election is held this year or next year.

-- BERNAMA