Govern Well and Prove the Critics Wrong

Arnold Puyok

Bersatu’s decision to set up a branch in Sabah has left some Warisan supporters and local-based parties wondering whether the state will be witnessing another episode of a Semenanjung-based party coming to divide and rule the state. Some people have already cautioned Warisan to buckle up lest it will be challenged by Bersatu.   

Should Warisan be concerned at all? What can it do to remain on a strong footing?

The Sarawak PH has already announced that it has accepted Bersatu to be part of the state PH coalition. The Sabah PH is expected to follow suit. And this is set to reconfigure the existing coalition. So, the next few months will be interesting to watch.  While it's important for Warisan to keep its political support intact, it’s even more important for the party to ensure that it has the vision and a plan to develop Sabah. If Warisan can convince the people that it has what it takes to govern effectively, it should not worry about Bersatu because ultimately, it’s the electorates who have the power to decide the best party to rule Sabah.   

Chief Minister and Warisan founder Shafie Apdal’s magnanimous response to Bersatu shows that he understands how the politics of federal-state relations work. It also indicates that he cannot afford to repeat his predecessors’ confrontational approach in dealing with the federal government particularly under Tun Mahathir.

So, there’s no turning back to Warisan. It has to accept the fact that Sabah politics is not the same as before. Sabah is no longer insulated by parochial politics and regional sentiments. It has become a more open society, thanks to the migration of people from Peninsular to Sabah and rampant inter-marriages.

As I have written in my previous article, Bersatu coming to Sabah is to fill the void left by UMNO. The Bersatu supporters in Sabah know that they can obtain the support of the Muslim Bumiputera people and to emerge as an alternative player to Warisan. Their strategy is to be as close as possible to the source of power in KL. But, as for now, Warisan has the advantage as it has five ministers at the federal level and it is the incumbent government.

However, the perception on the ground is that Warisan has so far failed to demonstrate its ability to govern well.

So, what can Warisan do?

First, GE14 was a close call and was not a victorious win for Warisan. Warisan came to power not based on the people’s overwhelming mandate. It came to power through an alliance with PH and UPKO. Thus, with such a “paltry” win, Warisan must do more in order to gain the people’s support. At the moment, the people are waiting – they want to see a vision, a direction and a short-term and long-term economic blueprint for Sabah’s development. They want the government to talk more about new policies and new ideas to propel Sabah to greater heights.

Second, Warisan must strengthen itself internally by sharpening its policy focus and outlook. It has to reinforce its machinery at the grassroots level by roping in individuals with qualifications and experience in administration.

Warisan should not worry about Bersatu going into the Muslim-Bumiputera areas to break its dominance because it can capitalise on its multiracial outlook to get the support of Sabahans from various ethnic backgrounds. But, if Warisan says that it is multiracial, it has to prove that Sabah's ethnic groups are represented well in the administration at the local and state levels.

Third, Warisan must take heed of what the PH-led government has done at the federal level. It is not a "perfect" government but at least under the leadership of Tun Mahathir Mohamad, the government is trying its best to fix the problems facing the country through the establishment of the Council of Eminent Persons and recently the Economic Council. There were also some very promising initiatives announced by the government when Tun Mahathir presented the 11^th Malaysian Plan Midterm Review.

Overall, the people are still waiting for the Warisan-led government’s “grand vision” for Sabah:  where will this government take Sabah to in the next five, ten or 20 years?

If Warisan can prove that it can deliver the public goods effectively, that it has the right people to execute the right policies for Sabah, and that it has the grand vision to transform Sabah into a progressive and developed state, it should not worry about Bersatu and the threats posed by its opponents.