In brushing off speculation about forging electoral pacts with other parties, the former Sabah chief minister said Warisan is a multiracial party that served all Sabahans, The Star reported.

“We will contest as a party and our pact is with the people,” he was quoted as saying.

Shafie said multiracial parties such as Berjaya and Parti Bersatu Sabah had previously won and formed state governments in Sabah.

“A single-party government is not new to Sabah and our people. We (Warisan) may not have the finances, but we are offering ourselves to the people,” Shafie said.

Shafie’s announcement follows Sabah Barisan Nasional’s decision earlier today to uphold its alliance with Pakatan Harapan counterparts in the coming state assembly elections.

In March last year, Shafie had claimed that Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin had agreed to an alliance to take on the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, led by Hajiji Noor.

Bung’s presence at the Warisan general assembly had fuelled speculation of a formal pact between Sabah Umno-Warisan. However, Sabah Umno said last month it did not hold official discussions with Warisan regarding cooperation in the elections.

Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking also denied having reached an understanding with Sabah BN regarding seat allocations.

The current Sabah government has until October before the state assembly must be dissolved to make way for fresh elections.