He said Warisan was just interested in monopolising the state seats — in chasing its president Shafie Apdal’s “pipe dream” of becoming chief minister — at the expense of other opposition partners such as DAP and PKR.

“I would be cautious if I were DAP and PKR. The pact between Warisan and Pakatan Harapan (PH), especially PPBM, is a dubious one.

“There’s no sincerity in the struggle. It is a means to an end.

“One leader wants to bring down the prime minister. The other wants to topple the chief minister,” he said, referring to PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Shafie respectively.

He said in a statement Shafie had earlier said his party would not sign a pact with PH, but recently Shafie announced that Warisan would work with PH.

Rahim, the Pantai Manis assemblyman, said Shafie was “behaving very much like his mentor, Mahathir, who is popular for making U-turns”.

He said not only had Shafie “dumped the local opposition parties, which he had previously claimed were in ‘merger talks’ with Warisan”, but he had even belittled them.

”In reality, we were not surprised when Warisan announced it will be working with Pakatan Harapan, led by 93-year-old Mahathir. It was the game plan from the beginning,” Rahim said.

He claimed Mahathir and Shafie had been “plotting a political drama”.

”Shafie has resorted to Mahathir’s new modus operandi of gathering disgruntled leaders to achieve his ambition of becoming the Sabah chief minister — at whatever cost — even if it means working with the man who almost destroyed the state at one time,” he said.

Claiming PH had told Warisan to give way to candidates from DAP, PKR, and Amanah by demanding 60% of the 25 parliamentary seats, Rahim asked Shafie: “So does the battle cry Sabah for Sabahans still hold water?”