Warisan president Shafie Apdal should be given the opportunity to prove his mettle after PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is given time to sway more MPs to the Pakatan Harapan camp, said Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen (above).

He said while Anwar was Harapan’s first option to be the next prime minister, there should be a suitable deadline given to him to gather additional support to form a new government.

“Beyond that dateline, Shafie Apdal should be given a similar chance to prove himself,” he said in a statement today.

During a vote to remove Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohd Ariff Md Yusof, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s motion was supported by 111 MPs and objected to by 109 MPs.

One MP abstained while another was absent during the vote.

The vote was seen as a litmus test to prove Muhyiddin’s control of the House, albeit only with a razor-thin majority.

Chong said that while he respects Harapan presidential council’s July 13 decision to reaffirm its support for Anwar, Shafie was also an important part of Malaysian politics.

He said it was time for an East Malaysian to be at the forefront of Malaysia’s transformation into a more progressive country.

“We still strongly believe that Shafie Apdal remains an important factor and integral part of national politics especially to break the toxicity of racial and religious politics that has entrapped national politics for too long as well as to achieve better inclusivity that our people have perhaps never felt before especially in terms of federal-state relations […]

“Having a prime minister from East Malaysia will help us move beyond the old politics that has entrapped us for so long and help shape a new nation of racial harmony and regional inclusivity in development,” he said.

He said Shafie had also demonstrated his consistent stand against corruption by choosing to remain in Harapan despite being offered an “easier path” by joining Perikatan Nasional.

He also claimed that by choosing to side with PN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak would risk rejection by its electorate in the coming Sarawak state elections in remaining with Umno and PAS instead of backing a fellow East Malaysian.

"As East Malaysians, there is no reason that we (Sarawak DAP) do not support a fellow East Malaysian, Shafie Apdal, as the prime minister of Malaysia," added Chong.