Masiung Banah and Arthur Sen said the results of recent elections were proof of this, in rebutting Warisan president Shafie Apdal’s claim that the party still enjoyed convincing support in KDMR-majority areas.
They said Shafie had nothing to show when it came to KDMR support, as election results after 2018 showed that Warisan had lost parliamentary and state polls in seats where the community made up the majority.
Masiung, a vice-president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, claimed that the majority of KDMR voters were more inclined towards backing GRS because of the coalition’s ability to bring stability and sustainable development to Sabah.
“Their support for Warisan is dwindling because they have seen for themselves the party’s failure in governing the state before this,” he told FMT, referring to the period of 2018 to 2020 when Warisan led the state government.
Shafie said last week that Warisan’s victory in the Melalap, Limbahau and Moyog seats in the 2020 state polls was evidence that the KDMR community still backed his party, particularly in Sabah’s interiors.
Peter Anthony, who won the Melalap seat, was a Warisan vice-president but left the party to form Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat. He is currently serving a three-year jail term for forgery.
Juil Nuatim, who was Limbahau assemblyman, also left Warisan to join Peter’s party before deciding to back GRS.
Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking was Moyog assemblyman until the dissolution of the state assembly last month.
Arthur, a Parti Bersatu Sabah vice-president, said data from the 2022 general election (GE15) showed a decline in support for Warisan in KDMR areas.
He pointed to the Penampang parliamentary seat which Leiking won with a comfortable 23,473-vote majority in the 2018 general election but lost in GE15.
Leiking lost the Kadazandusun-majority seat by 14,410 votes to Upko president Ewon Benedick, who contested on a Pakatan Harapan ticket.
“Warisan lost heavily in GE15, winning just three parliamentary seats compared with eight in the 2018 general election,” he said, adding that Leiking was at risk of losing his Moyog seat in this month’s state election.
Arthur also said that Warisan’s 2020 victories in Melalap and Limbahau were not down to the party but the individual strength of Peter and Juil, respectively.