LABUAN: Warisan and Umno have discussed a potential collaboration in the 17th Sabah state election, says Warisan president Shafie Apdal.
He confirmed that he had held discussions with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, but no official decision had been made by either party on any collaboration.
“No decision has been reached so far by both the supreme councils of Umno and Warisan regarding the collaboration.
“However, I have held discussions not only with the Umno president but also with Bung, and expressed hope that such collaboration could materialise,” he told reporters after the Sabah-Labuan Ramadan Tour at Desa Tunas Hijau today.
Shafie said the potential collaboration was not a contentious issue within the Warisan leadership or at the grassroots level.
“We remain optimistic that Warisan will maintain its strength in Sabah, as evidenced by our previous success in winning 29 seats and securing a significant portion of the votes,” he said.
He said Warisan remained open-minded and would allow members to attend Umno political events without restrictions.
“I encourage our members, if invited, to attend Umno events, just as we would welcome Umno leaders to our events if they choose to participate,” he said.
Highlighting Sabah’s political history, Shafie noted that previous ruling parties like Parti Bersatu Rakyat Jelata Sabah (Berjaya) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) operated independently without coalitions.
He said any collaboration between Warisan and Umno is not “an insurmountable challenge”.
“It is simply a matter of necessity. If there arises a need for both parties to work together, it’s not a problem at all,” he said.
Before this, Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor had hinted at the possibility of an early election despite the current term of the state government expiring in October 2025. - FMT
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