KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) has expressed surprise over the proposed seat distribution announced by the state-level Pakatan Harapan leadership.
This is because the opposition pact had not held any negotiation with Warisan leaders.
Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking, in fact, hit out at the Pakatan Harapan leadership, saying that it would have been courteous to discuss things with Warisan before announcing the allocation of seats.
Sabah Pakatan Harapan deputy chairman Stephen Wong had, earlier today, announced that Warisan would contest 60 per cent of the state seats in the general election, while the opposition pact would contest 60 per cent of the parliamentary seats.
“I am assuming this was discussed during their meeting with Pakatan Harapan Election Committee chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during the meeting on Tuesday night, but usually such offers should be discussed with said parties before they are universally announced.
“I personally have much trust and respect for Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman Christina Liew’s wisdom as she has shown to be sincere and strategic in her political stance and I await her statement accordingly. I hope she can verify if (the statement) her deputy had issued is genuine,” said Darrell.
Darell said he was convinced that an electoral pact between Warisan and Pakatan Harapan for the upcoming election was vital, but the party “would need to see the offer first”.
Alluding perhaps to Warisan’s unease at having 60 per cent of the parliamentary seats in Sabah contested by Pakatan Harapan, he said there was a need for the state to be represented by Parliamentarians from Sabah-based political parties.
This, he said, was important as they would not be confined to any “political restraint” in asserting Sabah’s rights.