'Big tent' approach will not work, says Shafie

KOTA KINABALU - Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal shared his stance that the 'big tent' approach is not the solution in governing the country.

He said the country needed an administration that was able to unite the people and deal with problems the people were facing.

“I have already stated that we do not want big tents as a solution.

"The country needs a governing leadership that not only can unite the people but for the country to be free from the shackles of debts and unemployment," he told a press conference after chairing the Warisan Supreme Council Meeting, at its headquarters in Kolombong, here, on Saturday.

He said this to reporters about his views on the statement by Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who rejected the cooperation with Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He also reminded that he had previously joined many big tents with various political leaders but did not intend to repeat it again.

"I have joined many ‘tents’ before such as Barisan Nasional (BN) tents, Pakatan Harapan (PH) tents, there is no need for other tents,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking about the meetings he attended, Shafie stressed that there should be an Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Warisan this year.

“We have applied to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) a few months ago to postpone the AGM and on May 26, RoS rejected our application and stated that an election should be held.

"So we have went into the details of the meeting, we informed the supreme council and the secretary general will distribute a circular letter to enable the party meeting to be held this year in line RoS’ recommendations and also in accordance with the constitution.

“We have decided to start the meeting at the branches from June followed by the divisions and then the wings.

"The AGM is expected to settle in July and in early August we perhaps could hold our party's general meeting," he said.