Harapan MPs welcome Warisan's Malaya expansion but defensive on seats
Three Pakatan Harapan MPs from the peninsula said they have no qualms with Sabah-based Warisan's plan to set up branches in their constituencies.
However, the lawmakers - Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Khalid Samad (Shah Alam) and Hassan Abdul Karim (Pasir Gudang) - indicated that this expansion should not lead to seat clashes in the next general election.
Yesterday, Warisan Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman said the party planned to set up branches in Peninsular Malaysia which had large Sabahan diasporas by April or May.
Azis cited Bukit Bintang, Shah Alam and Pasir Gudang as examples of such locations.
DAP's Fong said Warisan was more than welcome to set up a branch in his constituency, especially if it was to help the people.
"I welcome them to take care of the Sabahan community. This is something good.
"This is what should be done. We will also try to help them," he told Malaysiakini.
Likewise, Khalid said Warisan had a right to establish itself anywhere in the country, noting that there were thousands of Sabahans living in Shah Alam.
Sabahans in Pasir Gudang, Johor, even have their own Pasar Borneo market which they share with Sarawakians.
Hassan said Warisan president Shafie Apdal had gone as far as campaigning in Johor in 2018 in a bid to get Sabahans to fly back home to vote for the general election.
"I welcome Warisan to Pasir Gudang and the rest of the peninsula... if Umno and PKR can expand to Sabah, why not Warisan to the peninsula?" he added.
However, if Warisan contests in the peninsula, Fong said Bukit Bintang would be off-limits.
"Bukit Bintang is the birthplace of DAP... how can we surrender our birthplace?" he said.
DAP has contested the seat since it was first created in 1986 and has won on every occasion.
Khalid, however, was more open to negotiations as long as it did not lead to the opposition splitting the votes.
"It will be my hope that whether in Sabah, Selangor, Kedah or elsewhere, opposition parties can work together and agree on the candidates for various seats and avoid splitting the votes.
"So, if they have a branch in Shah Alam, and they are working together with us, then their branch will be supporting us and whoever the candidate is whether the candidate is from Warisan or Harapan. We will support one another on the candidate," he said.
However, Hassan was vague with his comments, saying that as a PKR lawmaker, he supported democratic practices and that no conditions should be imposed on Warisan.
"My final comment is that politicians should think like statesmen.
"A statesman thinks about the next generation. Whereas an ordinary politician just thinks about the next election," he said, paraphrasing a quote from American theologian James Freeman Clarke. - Mkini
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