Warisan in talks with STAR, KDM on GE16 pact

 Shafie Apdal says cooperation among Sabah-based parties could ensure more of the state’s 25 parliamentary seats are held by local parties.

Warisan, STAR and KDM are currently led by (from left) Shafie Apdal, Jeffrey Kitingan, and Priscella Peter.

PETALING JAYA:

Warisan is in talks with two other Sabah-based parties, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM), on a possible pact for the next general election (GE16).

Warisan president Shafie Apdal said no agreement has been reached yet but discussions involving leaders of all three parties have been taking place.

“We are looking into it. We haven’t finalised what sort of things that we need to do,” he said at a press conference in Sandakan, Sabah.

Warisan currently holds three of Sabah’s parliamentary seats while Jeffrey Kitingan’s STAR and KDM — founded by former Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony — each hold one.

Barisan Nasional has seven parliamentary seats in Sabah, followed by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Pakatan Harapan with five each, and Perikatan Nasional with one.

Despite its poorer performance in the 2022 general election, Warisan won 25 seats during the Sabah state election last November. STAR won two while KDM won one.

Shafie said there appeared to be common ground among the three parties over the need for Sabah to have a stronger voice in the Dewan Rakyat.

The former chief minister said Sabah-based parties should try as much as possible to ensure that the state’s 25 parliamentary seats are held by local parties.

With more than 160 parliamentary seats allocated to Peninsular Malaysia, he questioned the need for peninsula-based parties to hold parliamentary seats in Sabah.

Shafie added that Warisan will ensure that any GE16 pact will protect Sabah’s rights and interests. - FMT