KOTA KINABALU: The resignation of Datuk Peter Anthony from Parti Warisan Sabah is unsurprising in view of his ongoing court case, says party president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

       “We are not surprised with his decision to leave the party. I sympathise with him because he (previously) had already expressed his intention to do so following his court charges,” he said in reference to the party’s former vice-president who is involved in a case about falsifying a letter.

       Peter, who is Melalap assemblyman, and Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim quit the party on Tuesday.

       For his part, Peter said he was unhappy with Warisan’s move to spread its wings to Peninsular Malaysia.

       He decided to form a party that would be a part of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       In a statement yesterday, Shafie dismissed Peter’s stated reasons.

       He claimed that Peter had not objected to the party’s move to Peninsular Malaysia when decisions were made at the supreme council level, which were unanimously endorsed at the Dec 12 party annual general meeting.

       “It is not true and it is just an excuse,” said Shafie who along with Peter were founding leaders of Warisan in 2016.

       He said that Peter’s move to form a new party and join GRS would further cause a split among Sabah people especially in the state’s interior areas.

       Shafie also questioned Peter’s reasoning behind forming a new multiracial party and joining GRS, noting that Peter also wanted the people of each state to pick their own leaders to govern their states.

       “His stand is contradictory,” Shafie said, pointing out that GRS consists of the national parties Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, Umno, PAS, MCA, Gerakan and MIC as well as the Kadazandusun-Murut parties of Sabah STAR, PBS and PBRS, and local party SAPP.

       GRS is led by Bersatu, which a national party, hence the decision of the GRS government is determined by the chairman of a national party, he added.

       He also said Warisan’s decision to spread its wings to Peninsular Malaysia was to offer alternatives to voters fed up with politics, which was quite clear in the Melaka and Sarawak elections where voter turnout was low at about 60%.

       “This shows many voters want better options of parties that are capable of bringing change for the good of the country and the people,” Shafie said.

       On Juil joining Peter to leave the party, Shafie said that it was unfortunate that he was “influenced by Peter into making a hasty decision”.

       Shafie reiterated that Warisan remains committed to its agenda of safeguarding Borneo state rights under Malaysia Agreement 1963 and to work for all Malaysians as a multiracial party that was not parochial.

       “Our direction is to build a nation, not a particular race or religion. Let us build together one nation, regardless of race or religion,” he added.