Stay home and work with Umno, Warisan told

 

Warisan, which controlled Sabah as recently as 2020, has seen its influence wane since losing control over the state. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A political analyst has urged Warisan to concentrate its efforts on developing Sabah and working with Umno if the party wants to regain its political footing after numerous unsuccessful election efforts in West Malaysia.

Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Warisan should channel its resources towards Sabah rather than attempt to expand its influence.

“Warisan can enhance its relevance by focusing on local issues or issues related to Sabah. They don’t need to spread their wings into the Peninsula because their first attempt has failed,” he told FMT.

Awang Azman was commenting on early discussions held between Warisan and Umno regarding a possible alliance ahead of the next Sabah election, which must be held by December 2025.

He said a partnership with Umno would make more sense than pursuing an unlikely alliance with the state ruling coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

“It is difficult for Warisan (to cooperate with GRS) because historically, the party that caused Shafie Apdal’s downfall as chief minister was Bersatu Sabah. Subsequently, Bersatu Sabah ‘changed its colours’ and became part of GRS,” he said.

Another analyst, Lee Kuok Tiung of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said Warisan must diversify its leadership as any resurgence would hinge on whether it could attract minority voters.

It was not enought to rely solely on Darell Leiking, Loretto Padua and Junz Wong to appeal to Kadazandusun Murut (KDM), Chinese and young voters, as Warisan faced stiff competition from other multiracial blocs.

“Urban areas remain firmly under the influence of DAP and Pakatan Harapan,” he said while younger voters are concentrated in the urban and semi-urban areas, typically strongholds for PH.

“The west coast and inland areas are primarily populated by the KDM community, but Warisan’s primary stronghold lies in the east coast of Sabah, which is a Muslim-majority area.”

Warisan’s decline began when the party lost control of the Sabah state government after an election in 2020, with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) pulling off a surprise victory.

Subsequently, in last November’s general election, Warisan lost five of the eight parliamentary seats it held.

Prominent members left amid these setbacks, including former vice president Peter Anthony who went on to form his own party.

Despite these challenges Warisan should be able to survive for as long as its members still hold elected posts, said James Chin of the University of Tasmania.

Warisan currently has three seats in the Dewan Rakyat and counts 14 state assemblymen in its ranks.

“I don’t think that the party will disappear, and a lot of people do still recognise Warisan’s brand in the Sabah community,” he said.

However, Warisan still needs to define what exactly that brand represents to win over Sabah voters.

“That is crucial, because if you speak to people on the streets of Kota Kinabalu nowadays, people are not exactly sure what the positioning of Warisan is,” he said. - FMT