Shafie raises spectre of a Warisan flag in Muar

 

Shafie Apdal says Warisan will be selective about the seats it will contest in the peninsula in the next general election.

PETALING JAYA: Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman could end up defending his seat in the next general election (GE15) on a Warisan ticket.

The Sabah-based party’s president Shafie Apdal indicated he was open to the idea as his party looks to expand to Peninsular Malaysia.

“We decided that we won’t contest in all states but in selected areas. In the next general election (GE15), for example, I made the suggestion to Syed Saddiq because his party MUDA’s registration was rejected by the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

“He is in a difficult situation to contest in the future. With some of his colleagues being professionals, like doctors and lawyers, it is good for us to have this calibre of people to help us run the country as well.

“So I thought, ‘why not?’,” he said at a forum titled “Where Does Malaysia Go From Here?” organised by the Oxford & Cambridge Alumni Network Malaysia.

Shafie said while he had no intention of dividing the electorate by bringing Warisan across the South China Sea, his party had a right to have a presence in the peninsula.

“If parties like Umno, DAP and PKR could be present in Sabah, I see no reason why Warisan cannot be present in Peninsular Malaysia.

“However, we won’t place Warisan in Langkawi or Jerlun. I need my allies too,” he said, referring to the parliamentary seats under Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his son, Mukhriz, respectively.

The Semporna MP said Warisan could also provide a platform for youths who found it difficult to find a place in other parties.

On the current political crisis, Shafie said he did not agree with the idea of another emergency and a National Operations Council-like (Mageran) body to run the country.

He said the emergency and a Mageran-like body had not been used in many countries, and that it could deter investors. He added the most recent state of emergency did not help in the war against Covid-19 as cases and deaths actually increased.

However, Shafie believes it was best to have a body comprising experts to guide the country during the crisis and that such a body should be empowered. - FMT