KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan respects Parti Bersatu Sabah's (PBS) decision to not strike a political pact with it but cautioned PBS that it will not go far with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in its pursuit of state rights.

       Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic) said this was because the five-party GRS coalition was led by the Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, a national-based party.

       Shafie, who is Sabah Opposition leader, said Bersatu was the anchor party of GRS that is controlled by its leaders in Kuala Lumpur which would make it difficult for PBS and other Sabah-based component parties to achieve the state rights they are pursuing.

       Recalling Warisan's time in the then Pakatan Harapan-led federal government, he said he as well as Cabinet members from his party pushed for the 40% backdated revenue collected by the central government to be returned to Sabah as promised under the Federal Constitution.

       He said they voiced this in the special cabinet committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963, with then economic affairs minister Datuk Seri Mohd Azmin Ali and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng present but that they turned down their requests.

       "So, this is the problem. Although there are people from Sabah (in the government), because their parties are either DAP, PKR or Bersatu, the parties will take priority over Sabahans' interests," Shafie said in a press conference here on Tuesday (June 7).

       "GRS is a coalition of Sabah parties only in name because it is still spearheaded by Bersatu.

       "So, what is the meaning? This is far different from what's happening in Sarawak where not one of the parties in the ruling coalition was from the peninsula."

       Shafie said this after PBS president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili had earlier on Tuesday (June 7) turned down advances from Warisan over working with PBS, which is the oldest local party in the state.

       Ongkili had said PBS appreciated Warisan's interest to work with them in the coming elections but would remain loyal to the state government coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

       Shafie had reiterated Warisan's preference to work with PBS during a Warisan event in Kota Belud on Sunday (June 5).

       Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said he would not insist on possible cooperation with PBS but was only expressing the desire from their grassroots and within the party to work with local parties.

       "If that is their wish, then it's up to them, we can't force them. But I only think it's a good formula for an alliance of local parties," he said.