SANDAKAN: Warisan is targeting 26 parliamentary seats in the next general election in cooperation with its coalition partners, said party president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
"God willing, we want 26 seats and partner parties to ensure we achieve success and amplify Sabah's voice," he said when officiating the Warisan annual general assembly at Dewan Hakka here today.
Also present were Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president Priscella Peter and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) acting deputy president Datuk Lawrence Gimbang.
Sabah has 25 parliamentary seats, while Labuan has one, out of the 222 seats nationwide.
Shafie said the priority was to field winnable candidates, while seat allocations should reflect each party's strength.
"There is no point fielding candidates who cannot win. We must identify those who can," he said, adding that discussions on seat allocations were premature.
He said political leaders must engage with grassroots communities and listen to their concerns rather than rely on popularity on social media.
Drawing on more than 30 years in politics, Shafie said parties could complement one another's strengths and weaknesses, stressing that cooperation should not benefit only one side.
"I have worked with many parties and made mistakes that we must learn from. We learn from history. Without the voices and parties here, cooperation at the federal level would not materialise," he said.
He said the presence of KDM and Star leaders at the assembly reflected cooperation ahead of the general election.
Shafie said the collaboration was based on sincerity and shared strengths to ensure Sabah's voice was effectively represented at the federal level.
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