The Malaysian Insight

BERSATU chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad again said his party’s venture into Sabah is not an attempt to topple ruling party Warisan.

He reiterated that the state Bersatu leaders will not be asking for a post in the cabinet but will focus on further strengthening the Warisan-led state government.  

“We are not going to take over the state government. We are going to support it.

“We don’t any post from the state government. We will work with the state government,” he told reporters at the launch of Sabah Bersatu in Penampang, today.  

The prime minister said this in response to claims that Bersatu is staging a reverse takeover to the state government, including the possibility that it will persuade Warisan assemblymen to defect.

Warisan has 31 seats on the state assembly. Bersatu has nine state seats in the state assembly after adding Umno reps to its ranks early this year. 

DAP has six seats, PKR, two, and United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusunMurut Organisation, four.

Dr Mahathir said although Warisan is not officially part of Pakatan Harapan, the party members had no problem working together.

He pointed out that the PH government had appointed three Warisan leaders to the federal cabinet.

On the absence of Warisan leaders at the launch of Bersatu’s Sabah chapter today, Dr Mahathir said he met with them, including the party president Mohd Shafie Apdal, at the airport when he arrived

“I have no problem working with them. I have worked with Shafie Apdal for a long time,” he said.

Dr Mahathir named Sulaman assemblyman Hajiji Mohd Noor as the state coordinator where he will be in charge to oversee the upcoming party polls.

“We will have our party polls and Hajiji will organise the state chapter and ensure the process is carried out according to the party constitution,” he said

Dr Mahathir professed himself baffled by the massive turnout of Sabahans to the launching of Sabah Bersatu, saying it is proof that there are many Sabahans wanting to join the party.

He said about 30,000 people attended the launch, and that Sabah Bersatu had received 130,000 membership applications. 

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and vice president Mukhriz Mahathir.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is the PKR council chairman, arrived nearly an hour late to the launch. She was accompanied by state PKR chief Christina Liew. – April 6, 2019.