Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has hit out at the ruling political leaders in Sabah, saying they are more focused on political survival than governance.

The Sabah opposition leader said their priorities led to the present mismanagement, leaving critical issues like the state’s water crisis unresolved despite millions of ringgit being spent.

Shafie questioned how a state abundant in water—so much that it frequently experiences floods— continues to struggle with providing a stable supply to households.

“In Sabah, there are floods, but at the same time, there is no water… sometimes there is water, sometimes there is none,” said Shafie in his address during a Chinese New Year gathering in Tawau on Saturday. 

He also criticised the government’s spending priorities, questioning how large sums have been allocated for water infrastructure, yet residents still face supply disruptions.

“Change the meter, spend RM100 million. What’s the point of changing the meter if there’s no water? Change the pipe, spend RM100 million, but still no water!”

Shafie then linked the water crisis to governance failures, adding that the leaders are more concerned with holding onto power than solving long-standing problems.

With elections approaching, he warned that vote-buying would take precedence over real policy solutions, keeping political interests above the needs of the people.

“During elections, they will give you the money. The money, RM500, RM300. Is that the value of the future of your children, of your generation, of your grandchildren?”

He said governance has taken a backseat to excessive political maneuvering, with leaders prioritising alliances and power struggles over delivering solutions.

“Too much politicking, too many parties! How do we govern our own state when we are being pulled in every direction?”

He pointed to frequent party-hopping as a major obstacle to stability, saying political positions are being consolidated instead of long-term policies being implemented.

“The most parties in the world are not in the United States. The most parties in the world are not in the United Kingdom. Sabah!”

He said the consequence of this political instability is that pressing infrastructure issues remain unresolved despite millions being spent.

Responding to accusations of party defections in Sabah, Shafie defended himself, saying that unlike others who switched parties, he was expelled from UMNO before leading Warisan.

“I didn’t jump. Where did I jump? I was removed, sacked. The minister removed me. UMNO removed me. And now, I am going to remove UMNO from Sabah!”

He said Warisan’s formation was not an act of defection but a political realignment, unlike those who frequently change parties for survival.

Shafie also addressed criticisms surrounding Calvin Chong and Justin Wong, both former DAP members who contested under the Warisan banner in the 2020 state election.

Chong and Wong are the party’s Elopura and Sri Tanjong Assemblymen.

“At the time I spoke to Lim Guan Eng (who was DAP Secretary-General at the time) You want to contest in Sabah? Use my logo. They used Warisan’s logo, not DAP’s. Right?”

He said their victories were supported by voters across ethnic lines, proving Warisan’s appeal beyond racial politics.

“It wasn’t just the Chinese who voted for Justin or Calvin. Even the Malays voted for them, because they ran under the Warisan banner.” – February 1, 2025