PETALING JAYA: An analyst has scoffed at Warisan’s move to brand itself as a champion of multiracial politics and at its attempt to find traction in Peninsular Malaysia.
Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said Shafie Apdal’s party was still struggling for support in its home state of Sabah and, in trying to spread westward, was going against its original mission of working for the state.
“Warisan’s decision to venture into the peninsula is a mistake. It should just focus on Sabah. If it’s struggling to gain influence in Sabah, all the more will it struggle in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Its multiracial agenda will not work nor will its wish of having an impact in GE15,” he told FMT.
Jeniri also said Shafie was no longer as strong as he was when he was Sabah’s chief minister and that Warisan’s influence had waned.
In launching Warisan’s Penang chapter on Sunday, vice-president Junz Wong said the party’s foray into West Malaysia was to break the racial politics that had long plagued the country.
Warisan made its electoral debut in the peninsula by running for six seats in the Johor election in March. It failed to win any and all its candidates lost their deposits.
Another analyst, Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia, told FMT Warisan needed to prove that it was more than simply a party of politicians who used to be in big parties. (Shafie was an Umno vice-president.)
“If Warisan becomes just an umbrella for former members of big parties in the peninsula, like (former Jelutong MP) Jeff Ooi and (former Penang exco member) Danny Law from DAP, voters won’t be convinced,” he said.
He also said Warisan’s pledge to promote multiracial politics lacked clarity.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said Warisan would find it tough going solo in the peninsula and would need long established allies to win over voters.
He said the multiracial strategy employed by Warisan would not provide anything unique to voters.
West Malaysians were content with homegrown parties, he added. - FMT
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