THE struggle of Parti Warisan Sabah will continue even if its president, Mohd Shafie Apdal, is detained, said party deputy president Darell Leiking.

Shafie was called in by the Sabah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission this evening for questioning over allegations that RM1.5 billion in federal funds meant for Sabah had been embezzled.

Leiking said Warisan was unlike other parties that depended on patronage, and instead, would be guided by the philosophy that Shafie had ingrained in its members.

“Most political parties are about the individual. Take Umno, for example. It began with a mission, and that is why even though the leaders change, the party continues.

“But now, Umno is all about patronage. Based on my observation, Umno is no longer a party of a cause, but of individuals,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He said Shafie would remain as party president until he was convicted.

“It is a non-issue to me. We will be guided by the philosophy that Shafie has influenced upon all of us.

“This is not about him nor is it about me or any other individual. This is about the cause.”

Warisan, which observed its first-year anniversary on Tuesday, was, among others, set up to fight for the rights of Sabah folk.

Vice-president Junz Wong said the party would become bigger if Shafie was arrested.

“However, whether the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will arrest him remains to be seen. Everybody is waiting to see what will happen next, because I think they also realise that it is not easy to cope if MACC arrests him.”

The party, he said, was prepared no matter what happened. – October 19, 2017.