Its president, Shafie Apdal, said Warisan was open to discussions with local opposition parties to have a winning formula for the coming general election.
“Seat negotiations are normal and it’s not a problem. But don’t issue ultimatums.
“We can’t give all the (demanded) seats to them. But they are free to choose.
“We are not tied to them,” he told reporters after attending a Warisan public forum here today.
The Semporna MP was responding to comments by Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) president Wilfred Bumburing that no one party should contest in more than half of the 60 state seats in Sabah so that they will not have a majority in the state assembly.
Shafie also dismissed the question of one party being dominant, stressing that the more important factor was whether the candidates fielded were able to win the seats.
He said PBS was once a dominant party and at one time contested 60 seats but was now contesting fewer seats than that because they were willing to make sacrifices.
“We are here not to become YBs (elected representatives) and just to give seats to our people. We must ensure that when we negotiate and give the seats, we have to win and cannot lose,” he said.
Shafie also reiterated Warisan’s stand of being a party for all races.
“The way forward for us is a multiracial kind of game. Warisan is for all Sabahans,” he said.
He added the door was still open for discussions with PCS and Sabah’s Pakatan Harapan to knock Barisan Nasional off its perch.
Meanwhile, Shafie said the party’s annual general meeting would be held in early April.
He also announced the appointment of former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president VK Liew as the permanent chairman of Warisan and former PBS Youth chief Jake Nointin as the Warisan information chief.
Follow PH formula of seat sharing, PCS tells Sabah opposition parties