KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah has dismissed speculation that it was in discussions with other political parties to forge a coalition to topple the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led Sabah government.

       “Warisan is not negotiating with any party including Umno to set up a new Sabah government,” said Warisan information chief Awang Ahmad Sah Sahari, brushing off such talk by certain analysts and bloggers.

       Warisan, as an Opposition party, was committed to its struggle for the good of the people by ensuring that the government functions on the right track and abides by the Malaysia Agreement 1963, he said in a statement.

       Awang Ahmad’s statement comes amid speculation that Sabah Umno, led by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, might be forging a political alignment with Warisan, which is led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

       Both state leaders have previously denied any such plans but the speculation resurfaced after the Umno national leadership indicated that Barisan Nasional would not work with Perikatan Nasional in the coming general election.

       Sabah Barisan is part of the 10-party GRS state coalition government led by Sabah Bersatu chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

       GRS coalition partners hold a comfortable 50 seats in the 78-member state assembly with both Umno and Bersatu each holding 16 seats while Warisan has 19 seats and Pakatan Harapan has nine.

       Bung Moktar had recently said that Sabah Umno would abide by the decision of the national-level Umno if it decided to go against Bersatu.