Leiking: Shafie has a vision for Sabah
Former PKR VP says former Umno strongman Shafie Apdal is an honest leader who wants to save Sabah.
PETALING JAYA: Former PKR Vice-President Darell Leiking says Shafie Apdal’s decision to take over a Sabah-based political party signals the coming of “something promising”.
The Penampang lawmaker, who quit PKR yesterday, has given the former Umno vice-president his backing and personally feels that Shafie has a vision for the state.
“I don’t normally rush to embrace something new, but when I do, it is solid and we will walk with Shafie,” he told FMT, although he declined to divulge details.
Leiking, however, hinted that issues the new party would tackle would be ones that have made headlines in the past, including security issues in the east coast of Sabah as well as ones related to foreigners and citizenship.
He went on to praise Shafie as an honest and dedicated leader who genuinely wanted to save Sabah.
Leiking went on to express hope that Sabahans will support Shafie’s initiative.
Earlier, it was reported that Shafie wanted to take over a Sabah-based political party as a platform to challenge Barisan Nasional in the next general election.
Leiking, along with Sulabayan assemblyman Jaujan Sambakong, who had also quit Umno, met Shafie at the office of the Registrar of Societies (RoS) in Putrajaya.
According to a report in The Star, they discussed the takeover of the Sabah-based party and a change in its name and logo.
Shafie, however, declined to reveal which party they were taking over and its proposed new name, explaining that he will do so after they receive approval from the RoS.
The Semporna lawmaker had quit the party on July 4, after the Umno Supreme Council suspended his membership on June 24 for allegedly collaborating with the Opposition.
Speculation was rife that Shafie would set up his own Sabah-based party, after turning down an offer to join former Umno leaders, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, in their new party, which has since been named Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
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The outspoken Shafie was dropped last year from the Cabinet after joining Muhyiddin in criticising the way the government handled allegations of mismanagement at 1MDB.