“THE day Najib Razak expelled Mohd Shafie Apdal from Umno was the day I understood how little the prime minister valued Sabah.”

These were the words of Imran Muksin, who turned up at the Kota Kinabalu court today to catch a glimpse of the Parti Warisan Sabah president.

The 52-year-old arrived with five others from Batu Sapi in Sandakan yesterday. Sandakan is more than 300km from Kota Kinabalu, or a seven-hour drive through Ranau.

Imran, a former Sabah Umno member who joined the party in 1991, is a staunch supporter of Shafie.

He left Umno when Shafie did in June last year.

When Shafie formed Warisan with Darell Leiking, Imran knew that he had to follow the leader he respected most.

Upon joining, he was “surprised” by what the party’s struggle represented.

“Warisan is not about race-based politics, which is employed by most parties in Sabah. Warisan is about ‘Bangsa Sabah’, a state where all of its people, from various backgrounds, unite. It is a party that is fair to all races.”

Imran was among two hundred supporters who braved rains and torrential winds today to show their support for Shafie and Warisan.

He had turned up at the airport yesterday afternoon to welcome Shafie, who arrived from Kuala Lumpur, and proceeded to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office in Jalan Sulaman, where Shafie was questioned for four hours.

Imran and his friends showed up at court at 8am today, and they stayed until they received messages informing them that the application for Shafie’s remand would be made at 2.30pm.

He, along with the other supporters, reconvened at the court after Friday prayers.

Imran’s friend, 55-year-old Aris Malayu, from Libaran, had joined Sabah Umno’s sponsor days in 1991, but then left to join the Shafie-led Warisan.

“Shafie has always been a good leader. He takes care of those in his constituency.

“I was in the Libaran Umno committee for five terms, but I was willing to leave because I believe in Shafie’s leadership,” said the Bajau.

Asked about the possibility of Shafie being convicted and Leiking taking over to helm the party, Aris said he had no problem with the Kadazandusun leader.

“The party is not about who is in charge or what race is more dominant. Even if Shafie goes, we have no problem with a Kadazandusun leader, as long as the person is trustworthy and fair.”

A former PKR supporter, Richard Sylvester, 40, said he joined Warisan as it was the only party that understood the Sabahan cause.

He said it was also the first party he had joined that did not make race and religion an “obstacle”.

“My fear is for the future of my children. And, Warisan seems to have the answers. It is demanding for the return of state rights.

“We want these rights returned. Otherwise, our children will be beggars in their own state, where they grew up.”

He said none of the party’s branches received financial aid from its leaders.

Instead, he said, they were established on their own funds.

Sylvester, who is from Sandakan, said he had used his own money to make the trip to Kota Kinabalu today. – October 20, 2017.