A POLITICAL pact signed between Sabah’s two opposition parties today aims to capture 25 state and eight federal seats in the polls, with its leaders hoping to work with Pakatan Harapan and Parti Warisan Sabah.

Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), which is already in seat talks with PH and Warisan, entered an arrangement with Parti Anak Negeri (PAN), making them the third opposition group in the state’s crowded opposition field.

The parties aim to win at least in the 22 KadazanDusun Murut (KDM) seats and three other mixed-seats in Sabah, but did not elaborate on the parliamentary seat.

Under the agreement, PCS And PAN will not contest against each other and the parties will contest under one logo – the PCS logo. 

PCS is led by Wilfred Bumburing and PAN is led by Henrynus Amin. Both men were previously in Parti Bersatu Sabah.

At a press conference, Bumburing said doors for negotiation with PH and Warisan are still open despite Warisan’s recent attacks against PCS.

“(Parti Warisan Sabah President) Shafie Apdal may have said something to discredit PCS… but polling day is getting nearer and Shafie may be rushed and just thinking aloud about what he feels,” he told reporters after the signing of the political pact in Kota Kinabalu.

Shafie at a function in Penampang last week said that Bumburing was “BN-friendly” after seat talks between Warisan and PCS hit a snag over disagreements on the distribution of seats.

Bumburing told The Malaysian Insight that Shafie offered PCS only six seats while Warisan plans to contest in over 70% of the state seats.

He later said that no one party should claim dominance and contest more than 50% of the seats.

Amin meanwhile said this was why PCS and PAN will be pragmatic and will come to a compromise when needed.

“We can work with anybody… but we don’t want to be bossed around. At the end of the day, we also have to protect our party’s interest,” said Amin, referring to the dominance of Warisan in the seat distribution talks.

Amin also denied they were being sponsored by the BN to split the votes.

Bumburing also maintained his stand of not re-joining with United Sabah Alliance (USA), saying all the “symptoms” in the state opposition alliance still exist.

The Tamparuli assemblyman brought PCS out of USA in April last year, saying that members were not unified in bringing about change.

USA consists of Sabah Solidariti Tanah Airku (Sabah Star) led by Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by Yong Teck Lee, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah led by Lajim Ukin and Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah led by Mohd Arshad Abdul Mualap.

Amin also said SAPP is working with separatist movement like the Sabah, Sarawak Keluar Malaysia (SSKM), aside from USA being anti-federal and anti-Malaya.

“We have a very serious fundamental difference in terms of policy. We cannot go against the federal constitution, but we want to replace BN and Umno and become the state government.

“They also come out with ridiculous policies like splitting the state into eight divisions and therefore, our policy differences are quite wide,” he said. – March 16, 2018.