PASIR GUDANG: Parti Warisan is looking at contesting in state seats within the Pasir Gudang parliamentary constituency, says party president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
He added although discussions on candidates and seats are still ongoing, the Sabah-based party was hoping to contest in the area.
“We have identified some of the candidates for this election,” he said.
“We will later announce the candidates and the seats we will be contesting in.
“This (Pasir Gudang) area is among the places we are thinking of contesting in. When the time is right, we will announce it,” he said, adding that the candidates would be from Johor.
He said this after meeting with Pasir Gudang residents near Pasar Muafakat Sabah here yesterday.
Based on unofficial statistics, there are an estimated 20,000 Sabahans in Johor, mostly living in the Pasir Gudang area.
There are two state seats under Pasir Gudang, which are Johor Jaya and Permas.
In GE14, DAP’s Liow Cai Tung won the Johor Jaya seat while Che Zakaria of Bersatu won in Permas.
Shafie said Warisan has not received any invitation from other political parties to form an alliance.
“The important thing is for us to ensure the strength and stability of our own house first,” he said when asked if the party was contesting on its own.
Asked if its candidates who were previously from other parties are required to sign any documents or declaration to ensure that they would remain with the party once they win the seats, he said that this has always been the Warisan way.
“That has been the practice in Warisan for a very long time.
“For this election, a majority of our candidates will be new faces,” he added.
He also did not dismiss the possibility of former Bersatu state executive councillor and incumbent Puteri Wangsa assemblyman Mazlan Bujang joining Warisan.
“Yes, he has met with me many times to discuss some matters.
“If people want to join our party, we cannot stop them,” he said.