COMMENT | Supporters of Pakatan Harapan and Sabah-based opposition parties have reasons to be worried.

That is, if Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Shafie Apdal’s recent statements are correct, and he has not been misquoted by the media.

Indeed, three of Shafie’s statements sounded rather unfriendly to those in Harapan and the Sabah opposition parties. Many have advised the former rural and regional development minister not to be so arrogant and cocky.

Now, what did Shafie actually say?

Firstly, he told DAP to focus on its strongholds in the urban constituencies, instead of contesting for rural seats in the coming 14th general election.

Shafie said his party had made inroads into rural Sabah, populated by the Kadazandusun Murut communities, and the DAP should therefore stay out.

He further told DAP to take into account candidates from the other parties for the urban seats, in the event of seat negotiations, and added that Warisan too has Chinese candidates who are good for the urban areas.

Let me dissect that first statement from Shafie. Who is Shafie to tell the DAP what to do? How old is his Warisan party compared to the DAP?

If I were a DAP leader, I wouldn’t take such arrogance from an opposition newbie as Shafie is.

For a party that has not been tried and tested, Warisan and Shafie are talking big, telling others what to do and what not to do.

Secondly, Shafie was also quoted in a recent Free Malaysia Today (FMT) report as saying that if Harapan comes to Sabah, “I will fight them”.

Commenting on the relationship between Warisan and Harapan, Shafie reiterated his stand that his party is independent and will not join Harapan....