Perikatan Nasional has not ruled out the possibility of working with Warisan in the upcoming Sabah state election.
PN chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan said the coalition will not go solo as parties contesting on their own are no longer relevant, Sinar Harian reported.
“That’s why even smaller parties are joining coalitions,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
“Cooperation with Warisan remains a possibility because in politics, anything can happen, especially since the date for the state assembly’s dissolution has not been announced.”
Earlier this month, Warisan president Shafie Apdal said the party will contest all 73 seats in the state election, which must be held by the end of the year.
Last month, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition rejected any political cooperation with the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) because of what he described as a betrayal by GRS after its leaders, then in Bersatu, left in November 2022, following the 15th general election (GE15).
GRS is working with Pakatan Harapan for the state election but is expected to clash with federal ally Barisan Nasional at the polls.
Commenting on PAS‘s preparations in Sabah, Takiyuddin, who is also the party secretary-general, said the central leadership has instructed the state leadership to identify potential candidates, with the final decision to be made by the central leadership.
“Seat allocations are still under negotiation. We cannot yet confirm the number of seats PAS will contest as it depends on the party’s strength in Sabah,” he said.
He acknowledged that while PAS has never won a seat in Sabah, the party remains optimistic about its chances as even winning just one seat would be considered a “100% success”.
Sabah PAS commissioner Aliakbar Gulasan is one of six assemblymen appointed by the state government after the 2020 state election. PAS did not contest any seat in that election.
Takiyuddin also confirmed that he will not contest for any position at the PAS election next month, adding that he had not done so for more than 10 years.
On Thursday, PAS central election committee chairman Wan Rohimi Wan Daud released the list of candidates for the Islamic party’s upcoming polls.
There will be no contest for the post of president and deputy president for the 2025-2027 term because only one candidate has been nominated for each position.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man remain unchallenged since the 2015 party polls.
