KOTA KINABALU: The native Kadazandusun support for Parti Warisan remains intact, says the party’s Papar division leader, two days after a rebel group led by former vice president Datuk Peter Anthony claimed 32 branches had been dissolved.

       Papar Warisan division chief Ahmad Hassan on Tuesday (Jan 18) said only 24 branches had left with Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim on Sunday (Jan 16) and added that all 24 were not registered with the Registrar of Societies

       The Limbahau state constituency is within the Papar parliamentary constituency.

       Juil and Anthony left Warisan last month with plans to form a Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus-based party.

       Ahmad said that all other registered branches remain with Warisan under the leadership of Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

       “Officially, all registered Warisan branches are intact. There were only a few committee members who left but this will not affect the party and its grassroots support,” said Ahmad, who is the Papar MP.

       Dismissing Anthony’s argument that Warisan should not have expanded to Peninsular Malaysia, he said this does not stop the party from focusing on Sabah issues, including its rights under the Malaysia Agreement (MA63).

       Ahmad said he believed that the move to expand to the peninsula was the right step to ensure Warisan can win seats there so the voices and problems of Sabahans can be raised.

       “If the people of Kuala Lumpur can come here to share 25 seats (in Sabah) with us, what’s wrong with us going to KL to get a share of the seats there.

       He added that Warisan could strengthen its position in national politics.

       Ahmad also said that a new native party would further divide the Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus communities.