KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan will not be cowed by the growing possibility that it will have to fight Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and two national coalitions in the coming state polls, says Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
The party president said that this is not the first time that Warisan has had to face off against coalitions at the polls, adding that the need for a voice from Sabah is more pronounced now.
"It is not just about local parties alone. It's about hearing and delivering the needs of the state's people," said Shafie.
"We don't have a defeatist mentality, come what may, we are providing an option for Sabah," he told reporters after attending the party's Mooncake Festival celebrations here on Saturday (Sept 21).
Shafie added that it is best for a Sabah-based party to form the state government to address the people's longstanding aspirations, as Sabah only has 25 seats in the 222-member Parliament.
Shafie said this when asked about GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's statement that GRS would go with Perikatan Nasional Plus in the state election due by Sept 2025.
Shafie said that local parties like Berjaya (1976-85) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (1986-94) had ruled Sabah previously as Sabahans wanted these parties to meet their aspirations.
"Warisan has strength in Sabah; we won seats in various regions within Sabah in the last election. Not all local parties like Sabah STAR or PBS have seats across the state," he said.
Shafie added that Warisan is working towards further strengthening its position in more areas in the state.
In the 2022 state election, he said Warisan won 23 seats and was the single party with the highest number of seats in the 73-member house.
"We must chart the way, not to say we are better than them. We must be united to voice and achieve what Sabah people want. We cannot blame KL only," he said.
