PETER Anthony has quit Warisan to form a new party friendly to the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition.

The Melalap assemblyman and party vice president said he decided to quit Warisan as he felt the Sabah-based party had strayed from its original struggle and decided to expand to Peninsular Malaysia.

“Warisan has gone off-track after it decided to spread its wings to the peninsula, when Sabahans just want a truly local party to fight for them,” he told a press conference today.

A close ally of Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal, Anthony said his decision was not linked to his graft cases.

“I will clear my name through the courts,” he said.

The former minister said he will work with the ruling government under Hajiji Noor.

During last year’s snap polls, Warisan emerged the single largest party, winning 23 of the 73 state seats.

However, since then it has lost three of its assemblymen to defections while a fourth seat, Bugaya, remains vacant following the death of its incumbent, and a by-election can’t be held due to the Covid-19 epidemic. 

Two former Warisan leaders – Segama assemblyman and Lahad Datu MP Mohamaddin Ketapi as well as Sebatik representative Hassan Gani Amir – have signed up with Bersatu.

However, Sindumin assemblyman Dr Yusof Yacob has not joined any of the parties in the state but professes to support GRS.

The 10-party GRS has 50 seats in the state assembly. – December 28, 2021.