Of that, 1,550 were from PKR while 400 left Umno to join the two-month-old Sabah-based party.

About 150 Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) members also defected to Warisan.

The remaining were from Parti Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu or Upko (50), Parti Maju Sabah (500), Parti Reformasi Negeri Sarawak (500) and Parti Cinta Sabah (500).

Wong, who is the former Sabah DAP secretary, said the “extraordinary” reception Warisan received at a roadshow in Kundasang – almost a two-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu — had increased its chances of wresting the state from BN.

“We will definitely be organising more roadshows after this,” he told FMT.

Warisan was set up in October by former Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal.

Shafie quit Umno on July 4 after its supreme council suspended his membership on June 24 for allegedly collaborating with the opposition.

The Semporna lawmaker was dropped from the Cabinet last year for criticising the mismanagement at 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which allegedly raked up billions of ringgit in debt.

He set up Warisan after turning down an offer to join former Umno leaders Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, in their new party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

Former PKR vice-president Darell Leiking was appointed as Warisan’s number two.

To date, the party has 30,000 registered members.