Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal's arrest by the MACC is a blessing in disguise for Sabahans and Pakatan Harapan, said an Amanah delegate at its national convention.

Sabah delegate Hamzah Abdullah, in his debate of Amanah president Mohamad Sabu's policy speech, cautioned that the alleged crackdown by MACC against Shafie and Warisan would trigger a backlash against Barisan Nasional in the state.

"Believe me when I say, the people in Sabah are no strangers to change of government. 

"And this time the 25 BN (parliament) seats that they consider as fixed deposits would become their nightmare," he stressed.

Hamzah earlier recalled how Parti Bersatu Sabah was formed in 1985 by then-state minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan who broke ranks with Parti Berjaya president and chief minister Harris Salleh.

"This leader (Joseph) was victimised to the point of when he went to chief minister’s office, he was stopped and questioned in the middle of the road to humiliate him.

"So he (Joseph) eventually left to form PBS with the slogan Sabah for Sabahans, the people gave him the mandate, he won and the party he was formerly in (BN) was toppled," said Hamzah.

PBS had went on to form the Sabah state government after winning the 1985 state elections and remained in power until 1994. 

"What is happening in Sabah now has happened before in 1985," Hamzah said in reference to Shafie's suspension from Umno due to his criticisms of party president and Prime Minister Najib Razak, prior to leaving the party to form Warisan.

Shafie was previously the Rural and Regional Development Minister but was sacked in 2015 after he challenged Najib over his handling of the 1MDB scandal.

In 2016, he was also suspended as Umno vice president, prompting him to quit the party to set up the Sabah-based Warisan in a bid to dislodge Umno from the state.

At the same time, Hamzah cautioned that even if Harapan took over Sabah and other states in GE14, they would face problems if BN remained in Putrajaya,

He cited examples of Kelantan and Terengganu being denied rights to petroleum royalty.

"This is a signal that Warisan cannot stand on its own and we from Amanah in Sabah will continue to engage them to work together with Harapan," he said, adding that Amanah is in solidarity with Shafie (photo) and other Warisan leaders being investigated by MACC for alleged misappropriation of at least RM1.5 billion in development funds for Sabah.

MACC had previously arrested two of Shafie's younger brothers, Hamid and Yusof, in relation to the case.

The graft-busters had also detained a former aide of Shafie's - Umno Youth information chief Jamawi Jaafar - as well as two Warisan leaders, including its vice president Peter Anthony.

MACC is probing some 60 companies that were awarded projects for the supply of water, electricity, and roads to help people in rural Sabah.

The case has been linked to Shafie who held the rural and regional development ministry portfolio from 2009 to 2015.

Shafie, however, has denied involvement in the scandal.