Several days ago, a doctor friend in Johor asked me for my views on Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan). I believe he is seriously contemplating entering the political arena in a major way and may even contest in the coming GE15.
Or he might even join the fray sooner now that the Johor legislative assembly has been dissolved. Elections are expected next month.
I gave my friend an honest answer – straight off.
“Warisan can expect a tough ride with its foray into Malaya. Although Shafie Apdal looks good as a moderate Muslim leader for now, I doubt Warisan will succeed as a national party, at least not in the immediate future.
“But anything is possible in the long run, that is if Warisan has the stamina to go long haul nationally.”
No, there is nothing wrong with Warisan, so too with other political parties. Parties merely provide a platform for politicians. The party’s ideologies, whether they resonate with the people or not, are espoused by its leaders for a singular purpose – to win support and ultimately, power.
I have to say this – I do not have much faith in a political party born out of internal strife and led by people who have either been sidelined or sacked by their former parties.
Neither will I be able to support a party infiltrated by the ‘froggy’ species – self-serving politicians who are prepared to betray their own party by switching to a new entity.
Warisan is one such party. But credit to Shafie (above), a former Umno strongman. His new outfit performed credibly in GE14 in 2018 and he managed to become Sabah's chief minister, albeit for only 28 months.
Shafie was able to strike the right chord with his audience when he came out strongly against race-based or religious-based parties on Dec 17 in Kuala Lumpur where he kicked off Warisan’s national platform.
With a promise to set the country on the right path, the Warisan president expressed concern about the country's bickering over petty and divisive issues.
He pledged to transition the country from a political system of race and religion to inclusivity.
Yes, it sounds good. Credit to Shafie again. If Malayans are able to accept a Borneon to lead them, it would be this main draw – a path to allow structural changes in politics and a transition from a racial and religious political system to more inclusive multiculturalism in the country.
Unfortunately, this is not enough for Warisan to make it as a national party, for now. Support from the Malays is lacking.
My key question is: Will Malays in the peninsula ever warm up to a party from East Malaysia? When there are so many Malay-based parties around, why should a Malay in Kuala Lumpur or Johor, for example, join Warisan?
Although the Sabah party is able to attract a few elected representatives, it is clear that only the non-Malays are prepared to give Warisan a chance.
The Malay support is not forthcoming, notwithstanding Warisan’s intention to recruit Muda as an ally.
Unless Warisan is able to turn this tide in their favour, I do not foresee much of a future for it as a national party. But good luck all the same to Shafie and his Warisan believers.
Parti Bangsa Malaysia
As for Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) led by Sarawakian Larry Sng, I see it facing similar issues as Warisan.
I first heard of PBM in October last year from a party insider. At that time, I was informed that Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin will be the president with Sng as deputy or one of the vice-presidents.
PBM is actually the former Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP), established in late 2012, and led by Sng. He later left the party after an unsuccessful electoral outing in 2013 and joined PKR.
Sng, the Julau MP, was briefly Sarawak PKR chair until he left the party in March last year to become an independent legislator but supporting the Muhyiddin Yassin-led Perikatan Nasional federal government.
So what are PBM’s goals, policies, and ideologies? To be honest, I don’t know. Shall I say I have not heard anything significant so far to make me remember what the new party stands for or what its struggle is all about?
On that score, PBM reminds me of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) which I would describe as a “neither here nor there” party.
PSB is led by a well-known figure, former state minister Wong Soon Koh, and fielded several big names in the just-concluded Sarawak elections. The party is also said to be financially strong but the end result was a disaster. PSB flunked in the Dec 18 polls.
Like PBM, PSB’s slogan for a better Sarawak and fighting for the rural populace is dull and stale. There is nothing new. I’m sorry that I’m unable to buy anything from the party.
PBM has also recruited some elected representatives, primarily with defections from Bersatu. Herein lies my issue with such a party – there are too many ‘frogs’ and I’m allergic to such ‘slimy creatures’.
I think it’s only a matter of time before Zuraida will come clean on her intention and her interest in PBM.
It has been reported that some 50,000 members from Zuraida-linked NGO Penggerak Komuniti Negara have joined PBM.
So here we are. I’m not sure of Sng’s strategy by parking himself in a national party. It could work in his favour as he is a parliamentarian and probably sees himself more as a national player now.
However, I would think Sng deserves to be in better company than the likes of the names listed in the party’s line-up.
As for Zuraida, I don't think that I should align myself with any of the traitors involved in the Sheraton putsch in 2020. She is one of them.
Zuraidi and Azmin Ali are known Sheraton co-conspirators and if the purported falling out among the two is true, then they deserve to go down together.
Any of the two will give PBM a bad name, even before it gets down to work.
Of the two, Warisan is a better option. Shafie is miles ahead of Zuraida in anything that can be compared politically.
This is also my advice to my Johor pal and others who may suddenly feel like entering the political arena. Good luck to all of you. - Mkini
FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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