Mahathir: Bersatu will be set up in Sabah to support Shafie

Bersatu is adamant on setting up shop in Sabah, said chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

However, he stressed that this move was not meant to challenge the Sabah government, but rather, to strengthen it.

The Sabah government is led by Parti Warisan Sabah and its president and state Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.

"We have decided to go and set up Bersatu in Sabah, and we are going there to strengthen Shafie's government.

"We are not fighting Shafie, we are from Pakatan Harapan, and Harapan accepts Warisan in the government.

"We will go there to help the government, not change the government. We made this decision based on the situation in Sabah.

"Some people don't want to join Warisan, but they support Harapan and support Bersatu," Mahathir said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Previously it was reported on Feb 10 that Shafie had met with Mahathir to discuss Bersatu's entry to Sabah.

Shafie had said that he told Mahathir it was best for Bersatu to stand by its agreement prior to the 14th general election to stay out of Sabah.

Asked if he had held further discussion with either Warisan or Harapan component parties prior to today's announcement, Mahathir replied in the negative.

"They (Harapan) also went to Sabah without asking us, so we don't need the agreement of other parties," he said.

Meanwhile, Mahathir stressed that Sabah Bersatu will be open only to independents, and not members from Warisan or other Harapan parties.

"They must be those who are not in a government party including Warisan.

"We will limit it to Umno members only. Many other parties want to join too, and we are ready to accept them on the condition that we have vetted their (individual) applications," the prime minister said.

The move to form Bersatu in Sabah followed a mass defection from Umno in the state.

Those who defected, which include four MPs and nine assemblypersons, pledged support to both Mahathir and Shafie. - Mkini