COMMENT | One thing is as clear as daylight. There was a tacit understanding. All of us heard the declaration before GE14 that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) would not be entering Sabah because of the presence of Parti Warisan.

Though not cast in stone, there was a deal, a pact or an understanding (or whatever you may wish to call it) struck between the two parties. And that, like a gentleman’s agreement though not legally binding, must be honoured.

Unfortunately, politics sways with the times and politicians are not particularly known to be honourable people. An unwritten pact between two vagrants on the street probably carries more weight and is more likely to be honoured.

Before GE14, Bersatu and Warisan were new, struggling parties venturing into the unknown. At that time, allies were needed, never mind whether the players trusted one another or not.

There was a common objective – to defeat Najib Abdul Razak and the BN government. Bersatu and Warisan needed each other to fight a common enemy. So they were able to explain why they decided to work together. The people, gullible as always, accepted it and stood by them.

Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad stated then that there was no need for his party to go to Sabah because Warisan was representative of the Malays and bumiputeras there. Well, that makes sense.

Warisan president Shafie Apdal had no desire to join Bersatu then, and he went on to form his own party with one main objective in mind – to become Sabah’s next chief minister. He succeeded.

In recent days, talk of Bersatu’s intention to form a chapter in Sabah has become a contentious issue. It is threatening to tear Warisan and its Harapan allies asunder...