WARISAN DOESN'T RULE OUT POSSIBLE COOPERATION WITH UMNO IN NEXT STATE POLLS - SHAFIE

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Parti Warisan (Warisan) does not rule out the possibility of forging political cooperation with Sabah UMNO in the next state election.

Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said such cooperation is possible if Sabah UMNO shares a similar interest in working together.

“We (Warisan) can sit down with them (Sabah UMNO) to discuss efforts that would benefit Sabah and the people, like how it can be translated into reality.

“I told (Datuk Seri) Bung (Moktar Radin) that we (Warisan) are here. If cooperation is needed, it is for the benefit of the people and the state of Sabah,” he told reporters after officiating the 6th Annual General Assembly of Warisan here today.

He said this when asked to comment on the presence of Bung Moktar, who is Sabah UMNO chief, as well as Sabah UMNO secretary Datuk Jafry Ariffin and several other Sabah UMNO members at the event.

More than 3,000 Warisan delegates from across Sabah attended the assembly, which was also held as part of the party's preparedness for the next state election.

Mohd Shafie, who is also the Semporna Member of Parliament and the Senallang assemblyman, said the grassroots Warisan members’ acceptance regarding cooperation with UMNO Sabah is showing a positive sign.

He said Warisan would conduct a series of tours in preparation for the state polls, and that the party is open to the participation of Sabah UMNO members in these tours.

Meanwhile, Bung Moktar said that his presence at the Warisan assembly was at the invitation from Mohd Shafie, and is not an offence as Warisan is also part of the federal government’s component parties.

“Firstly, it is to fulfil the invitation. Secondly, we also want to learn about other parties,” said the Kinabatangan Member of Parliament.

When asked about the possible cooperation between Sabah UMNO and Warisan, Bung Moktar said “only time will tell.”

Prior to this, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was reported to not rule out the possibility of early state polls for Sabah, even though the current term of the state government will only end in October 2025.

-- BERNAMA