United opposition parties prerequisite to ensure winning in GE15 - Christina Liew

Liew greeting a hawker during her walkabout.

22 August 2022

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: A united front among Sabah's Opposition parties is a prerequisite to ensure winning more seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), insists Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) Chairman Datuk Christina Liew.

The Api-Api Assemblywoman said the component parties are working very well at state level, and that she had several meetings with the Chairman of Muda in Sabah.

"Unity among Sabah's opposition parties is of paramount importance, and that includes Muda. We believe we are able to work with all the component parties in Sabah PH and also with Muda in facing GE15, but this is subject to seat allocation among us.

"Only through a united front will we have a bigger chance of winning more seats. If we are divided, we will not be able to achieve our target seats," Liew told reporters after a walkabout at the Gaya Street Sunday Fair to give out some 500 national flags to mark National Day this year on Sunday.

Answering a reporter's question on cooperation with Parti Warisan, she said : "I have always said that we will be open to working with any party that can sit down with us and talk, not particularly any party, but any party that is opened up for discussion."

While acknowledging that PH is a national coalition, Liew said it is localised in Sabah due to autonomy. "We believe we will be able to speak and be the voice of Sabahans when it comes to the question of getting our rights and our autonomy."

On talk about Malaya parties, the Sabah PH Chairman said whether it is a Malaya or Sabah party, you still need to work with the Federal Government as financial allocations also come from the Government.

Asked whether she could foresee a smooth seat negotiation among PH members and also any other party that wants to work with Sabah PH, she replied : "Yes, I believe every party, every leader, who has that in mind (settlement of seat allocation) before we go to the battlefield, will be able to help us to achieve our target. We hope to win as many seats as we can."

Meanwhile, Liew noted that 1MDB and the LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) cases are flaring up in the Peninsula, and voters in Sabah are also aware of what is going on. "We, too, are watching and monitoring the developments in the country."

She was accompanied by Inanam Assemblyman Peto Galim and representatives from several party branches.