Warisan leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal wrapped up his Chinese New Year engagements in Tenom on Saturday night, closing the Chap Goh Meh celebrations with an event attended by the local Chinese community. 

But the numbers told a different story.

With just 30 banquet tables seating 10 each and another hundred or so attendees standing, the turnout was far from the large crowds seen at similar event like the one held in Kota Kinabalu. 

Warisan insiders insist this was due to misinformation, not dwindling support.

“We found out that some people were reluctant to come because they thought they had to pay for the tables,” a party source said, blaming the rumors on political rivals.

Local businessman Tan Wei Ming confirmed hearing the same. 

“I was hesitant at first because someone said we had to contribute for our seats.” 

“It turned out that wasn’t the case, but the word had already spread,” he said. 

The event served as a strategic move to gauge Warisan’s reach within the local Chinese communities in Melalap. 

With Tenom’s electorate comprising over 42,000 voters—split between Melalap and Kemabong—approximately 5,000 Chinese votes in Melalap alone, such gatherings are crucial for assessing grassroots support. 

While turnout at specific events like this offers insights, it does not necessarily predict election outcomes.

Broader cultural celebrations, such as the Kaamatan festival in May, also serve as a more significant political litmus test for the Kadazan, Dusun, and Murut communities. 

Tenom, a Murut stronghold, is also home to various indigenous groups within the KDM bloc. 

Still, the district’s economic dynamics are largely shaped by the Chinese business community, which plays an influential role in local political alignments.

Warisan’s struggles in the region have become more pronounced following the exit of Datuk Peter Anthony, who left the party in December 2021 to form Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) in early 2022. 

Anthony was a key figure of Warisan and held the post of vice president before his departure. He also held Sabah Minister of Infrastructure Development when Shafie was chief minister between May 2018 to September 2020. 

His departure in December 2021 marked a significant shift in Sabah’s political landscape. 

He had cited Warisan’s expansion into Peninsular Malaysia as a deviation from its Sabah-centric mission as reason for leaving the party. 

For many in Melalap, Anthony has cemented his dominance in the Tenom state constituency. 

“Defeating Peter Anthony here is tough,” said Melalap voter Lim Siew Fong. “He has his people, and they’re loyal.”

However, questions are now surfacing over whether Anthony can defend his seat, given that his nomination for the Tenom federal seat was rejected by the Election Commission in 2022 due to his ongoing corruption case. 

If he is ruled ineligible, Melalap could become a battleground for other political groups looking to capture the constituency.

In May 2022, Anthony was convicted of falsifying documents related to a Universiti Malaysia Sabah contract, receiving a three-year jail sentence and a RM50,000 fine. 

He remains free pending appeal, with the Court of Appeal’s decision now expected this year (2025). For the record the decision for his final appeal has already been postponed thrice, with the latest one being on February 7.  

Under Malaysian election law, he could be disqualified unless he secures a pardon.

His legal troubles already costed him once. 

In 2022, his nomination for the Tenom parliamentary seat was rejected, triggering a riot outside the nomination center. Anthony was arrested but released the next morning. 

Two years later, no one has been charged for inciting the chaos.

Meanwhile, despite the corruption scandal hanging over the GRS administration, Melalap residents appear largely indifferent. 

“Most politicians accept political donations—it’s not unusual,” said voter Chen Wei Ling. “Now they call it bribery, but has anything really changed?”

Meanwhile, issues like the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) barely register in the district. “It’s all talk,” said resident Wong Tze Kin. 

“Over 60 years, nothing has changed no matter who’s in charge.”

For many young people, politics is secondary to economic survival. 

Jobs in Tenom are scarce, pushing graduates to Kota Kinabalu, Peninsular Malaysia or abroad. 

“There’s nothing here for them,” said 68-year-old Lim Ah Kow, who has two sons working in Singapore. 

“When they come back to vote, who knows where their loyalties lie?”

With Melalap in Anthony’s hands and Kemabong under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s Datuk Rubin Balang, Warisan has little room to maneuver. 

If Anthony is ruled out of the race, the seat is up for grabs. 

But if he remains in play, Warisan’s chances of reclaiming Melalap may already be lost. – February 16, 2025