Sabah DAP supports Shafie, not Anwar, as PM9

(feedly.com) – Sabah DAP has no problem working with Parti Warisan Sabah, even though Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and five other Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia MPs have turned independent.

Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon said they had been working well with the Warisan-led state government.

“The focus is on development for the rakyat. Most importantly, Sabah DAP is autonomous.

“We have also been supporting our Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who is Warisan president, to be PM9,” he said when contacted on Saturday (July 11).

“We should move from confrontation politics to reconciliation for the sake of the people,” he said when asked whether the party foresees trouble amongst member parties brewing anytime in the near future.

Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon

Poon said in Sabah, there was mutual respect among the member parties, and they have regular meetings to resolve most issues.

On Friday (July 10), a joint statement was issued that was signed by Dr Mahathir who is Langkawi MP, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar), Dr Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) and Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading).

The group of six former Bersatu MPs, led by Dr Mahathir, declared it would remain as an independent bloc together with Warisan.

The joint statement, which indicated that they were distancing themselves from Pakatan Harapan, also stated that they were sticking to their initial decision to back Shafie as their candidate for premier and not PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

They argued that the Warisan president would not only be able to garner majority support, but proposing him as candidate for prime minister would also help to improve relations between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysian states.