KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — With Parti Warisan (Warisan) set to make its electoral debut in the Pandan federal seat in the 15th general election, the party is counting on the track record of president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to convince voters to take a chance on the party.

Acknowledging the obstacles faced by the Sabah-based party in making its mark in the peninsula, Selangor and KL Warisan deputy chairman Bryan Lai Wai Chong said Shafie’s 28-month stint as Sabah chief minister should persuade Malaysians of the party’s ideals.

“We need someone who can bring together all Malaysians without considering race and religion to fight for our economic development.

“Because that is most important since after the Covid-19 pandemic we can see many have suffered,” he said

He also criticised other Opposition parties for not doing more beyond calling for people to take to the streets in protest, further stating that what the people and local businesses needed now was a clear and concise solution to existing economic problems they faced.

“I don’t think that is the way (going onto the streets). If we bring YB back to power what is the solution? Without any solution, sorry I won’t take to the streets.

“Warisan can provide that solution. We have Shafie’s track record as chief minister. We are not selling hope,” he told Malay Mail recently in an interview. Incidentally, the English translation for Pakatan Harapan was the “Hope Alliance”.

Lai, a former DAP member and incumbent Teratai assemblyman, also expressed confidence that voters would cast their ballots based on a candidates’ overall performance and not just based on a party logo.

“We have been working on the ground since May 2018 until today. So, when people ask me, two weeks campaigning, is it enough for you?

“I tell them my campaign period is actually four years,” he said, adding that Teratai constituents including adjacent neighbourhoods such as Pandan Indah and Pandan Jaya were also familiar with the ground work he has provided.

Following the 2018 general election, Warisan cooperated informally with the PH coalition to form the federal administration as well as the Sabah government.

After the 'Sheraton Move' of 2020, however, ties between Warisan and PH, particularly PKR, became strained after Shafie proposed himself as a candidate to be prime minister, spoiling the contest between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim then.

Between July and September 2020, a political crisis also emerged in Sabah, culminating in a snap state election after the BN and Parti Warisan Sabah-led coalition both claimed to have the majority to form the government, which led to the state assembly’s dissolution.

The Sabah election would also see the change in government from Shafie-led Warisan, when the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition — composed of Perikatan and BN component parties — won a simple majority.

Since then, Warisan has drifted steadily away from PH, leading to the party’s expansion here and culminating in its declaration that it would contest all the federal seats in Sabah during GE15, eschewing cooperation with its former allies.

The Election Commission has set nominations for GE15 to be held on November 5 and polling on November 19.