I’m still with Star, dumping party for Cinta not true — Jeffrey

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KOTA KINABALU: Bingkor assemblyman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has denied claims that he was dumping State Reform Party (Star) for newly-registered Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).

Stressing it as “purely rumours”, Jeffrey said he was shocked upon reading the news yesterday and wanted to clear the air that he is still very much a “Sabah Star person”.

“I think there was some confusion as I, with a few of my supporters who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat with me, did try to register PCS long before the 13th general election. But it was not approved until recently. By then, I have already joined Star and has been with the party since then.

“I have spoken to those in PCS, but I am not sure whether or not they are still the same people who were with me when I first tried to register the party, or whether they still have the same feelings, but all I know now is that if they are willing to change PCS  to Star, then I am ever willing to be with them … so this is something for them to consider,” he said.

Jeffrey stressed that he has no control of PCS as he is now with Star.

“So, as far as I am concerned, there is no switching or dumping, it is not appropriate to make such claims, it is just speculations, there is no truth to it,” he said.

For now, Jeffrey would remain quiet until things are sorted out.

“I am going to Kuching to meet up with the Sarawak Star soon. For now, the party’s constitution does not allow us to be members, we have actually applied with the Registrar of Societies to change it to Malaysia but it has yet to be approved.

“In fact, the application was made before GE13. We have appealed, and if ROS rejects, then we will have to look at other options.

“Pending the decision, I will continue to promote Star. To me, position is immaterial, because I believe I am a leader of perjuangan (struggle), not a leader of a political party,” he said.

On Saturday, Jeffrey was reported to leave Star for PCS, and would take the helm of the party after its application was approved by ROS earlier this month, and expected to make the transition to the new party by end of the year after consulting his Star counterparts in Sarawak.

PCS is currently led by Jeffrey’s close ally Dr Nicholas James Guntobon, who is the protem president.

The application to register PCS was made in later 2009 during a power struggle between Jeffrey and local Sabah PKR leaders that saw him eventually quitting PKR after the party sacked several of his key men for applying to form a new party.

Jeffrey was the only Star candidate to win a state seat in the GE13 this year.