KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah has been hit by a double blow with two of its state assemblymen – Datuk Peter Anthony (Melalap) and Juil Nuatim (Limbahau) – quitting the party on Tuesday (Dec 28).

       Peter, the party vice president and strongman in interior Tenom, confirmed he was starting a new party that would be friendly to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state government.

       He told a press conference at the airport here after arriving from Kuala Lumpur that his decision to leave Warisan was because the party, led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had diverted from its original path of serving Sabah.

       “They have spread their wings to Kuala Lumpur and Penang and left the original struggle for Sabah,” he told a press conference at the international airport here after arriving from Kuala Lumpur.

       He denied talk that his decision to move out was because of his ongoing court case.

       "I will clear my name through the courts," he added.

       He said he would work with the ruling government under Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       Warisan, which emerged the single largest party winning 23 of the 73 state seats during the September 2020 snap state election, has so far lost three of its assemblymen to defections while a fourth seat, Bugaya, remains vacant following the death of its incumbent.

       Two of the three assemblymen – Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi (Segama rep and also Lahad Datu MP) and Hassan Gani Amir (Sebatik) – have joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia while Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) has not officially joined any party but has thrown his support behind GRS.

       The 10-party GRS pact led by Sabah Bersatu chairman Hajiji has a comfortable majority of 50 seats in the assembly.