SABAH people must reject parties that are trying to come into power through the back door, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Those who jumped ship did not show any remorse. Now Warisan has to focus on the elections and the administration of the state will be affected. 

“I hope that the people will choose Warisan as their choice for state government,” he said in a video on his Facebook page. 

Dr Mahathir said Warisan was the party that truly represented the Sabah people and their aspirations.

“So vote for Warisan and other parties that are using their logo so that the people can get back the government they choose.”

Although the former prime minister is rooting for Warisan, he said he will not be going to Sabah to help the party campaign.

The state elections should not be happening at all as the people of Sabah had already picked their government in 2018, he said.

“But the federal government wanted to seize the state government that was mandated by Sabahans. 

“This is wrong because it takes away the rights of Sabahan to choose their government. 

“And the way they (Perikatan Nasional) are using (defections to seize the state) is against democracy,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said PN had used bribes to buy the elected representatives.

“Millions of ringgit were offered to the assemblyman to jump ship and topple the government. 

“If this is the way PN wants to become government then the people will lose their rights to choose a government.”

If the prime minister loves Sabah, Dr Mahathir said, why is he taking away their chosen state government? 

 “This is not the time for party-hopping and money politics.  

“We must instead focus on the Covid-19 pandemic and the economy.”

He said the people of Sabah have been badly affected by the pandemic.

“It has affected their business and many have lost their jobs. 

 “Warisan has helped those people who need food aid but now they have to face the elections,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said focus should be on the people but millions that could have gone to them would instead be spent on the polls.

He said Warisan had been doing a good job keeping the Covid-19 cases low when it was interrupted by attempts to overthrow the state government.

He urged Sabah people to allow Warisan to continue the work it was doing.

“The elections will worsen the pandemic as gatherings and elections campaigns will expose the people to the virus.  

“Some will get sick while others may die.” – September 23, 2020.