Shafie hopes Bersatu will keep promise
Published on: Monday, January 07, 2019
Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan Sabah President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic) hopes Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will keep to its promise to stay out of the State and let Warisan run Sabah.He said though Warisan had yet to have an official meeting with Prime Minister and Bersatu Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, over the matter, the decision was clear."We have stated our stand before this, and have indicated to them what we think of them wanting to spread their wings here," he said.ADVERTISEMENT Shafie said the party had made the matter clear even before the 14th general election (GE14)."Bersatu listened to us (then). And we hope now after GE14, they will still listen to us," he said, when met by reporters after officiating the Warisan Sabah Christmas Open House event at Kolombong on Sunday.Shafie said what was important was for the Warisan state government to have good ties with the federal government and that Warisan was supportive of most of the things done by the federal government."What is important is for us to work together. We will always be supportive of what they have in KL."ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile Shafie also called on Sabahans to reject religious extremism in their daily lives adding that it had no place in Sabah's multi-racial society."Sabahans at all levels need to realise that there should be no extremist views which can undermine national unity. If there is this attitude we need to reject it. This is not our way.
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"We must not accept views that can erode our unity because in Sabah, all races can live together in harmony despite being multi-religious," he said, adding that such extremism would only serve to cast a person's religion in a bad light.He said such extremist attitudes and views can also hinder the State government's efforts to bring progress and development to the people.Shafie was commenting on the recent incident involving a memorandum and police report lodged by Tawau PAS over the annual Tawau Christmas and New Year carnival which they claimed had elements of Christian influence. Tawau PAS had led a group claiming to represent Muslims in the district to issue a memorandum to protest the celebrations and lodged a police report.However Tawau PAS eventually apologised to Parti Warisan Sabah and PKR in Tawau for also including them in their memorandum.Meanwhile, Shafie is expected to discuss several important issues with yet unnamed leaders from the southern Philippines when they visit the state capital next week.Mohd Shafie said one of the topics would be about the safety aspects of Sabah's east coast, as well as to strengthen cooperation with the southern Philippines leaders in an effort to combat cross-border crimes plaguing the area."They (the leaders from southern Philippines) wish to meet, maybe about their situation in southern Philippines, especially about the new Bangsamoro leadership.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"I want the meeting to be seen as a new approach for us to work together to curb unwanted activities from happening, especially in the east coast of Sabah, because security is important."...not just to protect human lives but also to make sure the tourism sector can grow and be further developed in the area," he said. - Neil Chan