KOTA KINABALU: State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan yesterday denied a report that he would be contesting the Tambunan seat in the coming 13th general election.
Describing the news report, published in one of the local dailies here, as “just another rumour”, Jeffrey said he had not changed his mind.
“I have made it clear that I would like to contest in the Bingkor State and Keningau Parliamentary seats. And my decision remains the same,” he said, when contacted, yesterday.
Jeffrey said he had received calls from supporters to ask the truth behind the report.
“I had to explain to them that the report was made just based on rumours. I do not know how it came up to that but the news came out and I, myself, was shocked.
“All I want to do is to come up with this statement to deny the report as to avoid further confusion,” said Jeffrey.
The Tambunan seat is currently under his elder brother Deputy Chief Minister cum Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
The 72-year-old Pairin has been the Tambunan state assemblyman since 1976 when he first won the seat for Berjaya at the age 36. Ten years later in 1986, he started winning the Keningau parliamentary seat.
Datuk Justin Guka of the United Pasok Momogun KAdazanDusunMurut Organisation (Upko) is the incumbent assemblyman for Bingkor.