Amanah's top leadership had endorsed the decision to go against Parti Warisan Sabah in the seats of Batu Sapi and Merotai for the coming general election.

Sabah Amanah chief Hamzah Abdullah (above) said the consensus was reached during a meeting held among top Amanah leaders on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur.

"We came to a unanimous decision that Amanah should contest with respect to Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) as Pakatan Harapan chairperson. We gave a letter to Mahathir that Amanah will only contest Batu Sapi and Merotai.

"A copy of the letter was presented to (Warisan president) Mohd Shafie Apdal and it was handed over yesterday through our Sabah Amanah youth leader with the hope he could rethink about Warisan's candidates," Hamzah told Malaysiakini.

The decision, he added, was deliberated at length to "make sure everyone should be given equal share in Sabah".

In Warisan's announcement of candidates yesterday, Shafie announced Liew Vui Keong as the party's candidate for Batu Sapi and Sarifuddin Hata as the candidate for Merotai.

Hamzah, today, filed in his nominations for Batu Sapi and will face Liew in the four-cornered fight while Amanah's Arbaani Akum will face six others in the fight for Merotai.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub confirmed that the party had indeed decided to inform Mahathir of the decision to contest the two seats.

"Amanah did not go against the spirit of consensus in Harapan. (Sabah) Harapan had already agreed for Amanah to contest two parliamentary and two state seats.

"After negotiations with Warisan failed, we decided to contest in one parliamentary and in one state seat to show our degree of tolerance."

'Cannot blame Warisan'

Despite deciding not to contest in Kalabakan and Bugaya, Salahuddin claimed Warisan still did not agree to let Amanah contest in Batu Sapi and Merotai.

"For Amanah's future in Sabah, I think it's fair for Amanah to contest in one state and one parliamentary seat.

"We have gone through all the processes, it's not like we wanted to be stubborn to insist on contesting.

"We only asked for two seats and there was even a point where we suggested for Hamzah to contest under Warisan but they still did not want to (agree).

"But we cannot blame Warisan, too, because Warisan is not in Harapan," he added.

Salahuddin also expressed confidence in Hamzah, pointing out how the latter was a well-known Sabah leader and had lost only by some 3,000 votes against the BN candidate when he contested under PAS in the last general election.

Hamzah, meanwhile, said he had contacted Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking (above) on April 7 to negotiate.

"I managed to get him over the phone, he sent me an SMS saying he will call me later, I still have the message. I waited for two weeks, he never contacted me."

Hamzah also said he has no regrets in pursuing his aim to contest the Batu Sapi seat.

"I'm giving the people an option. If they put a local candidate in Batu Sapi, we would withdraw but who is Liew?"

Hamzah, earlier this month, confirmed that Amanah was never part of the discussions among Warisan, DAP and PKR.

Warisan vice-president Junz Wong, however, said Warisan was only interested in working with relevant parties in the state.