KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan will stay with State Reform Party (Star) to lead the fight for Sabah’s rights and freedom despite the temptation to be with Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), said Star’s deputy secretary-general Guandee Kohoi.
He said this in a statement in response to media reports that Jeffrey had declined to helm PCS amidst allegations that STAR was unable to open branches and recruit members.
“Dr Jeffrey Kitingan wants to be consistent as he stood and won the Bingkor state seat on a Star ticket in the 13th general election.
“He has been consistent in his struggle for Sabah’s rights, and has not wavered since the 1980s, despite being imprisoned under the draconian ISA for two and half years in the early 1990s.
“His struggle for Sabah and highlighting of Sabah’s rights, including Sabah’s entitlement to the 40 per cent net revenue derived from Sabah, are now noticeable,” he said.
Guandee believed Jeffrey and his team under the United Borneo Front and STAR Sabah, including many teachers and others who made personal sacrifices, had awakened and enlightened the people in Sabah and Sarawak to their state’s rights.
“The fight for Sabah’s rights is now beginning to be voiced by other political parties in the government and in the opposition.
“These rights are now receiving the attention of the federal government with a Special Committee to be formed to study the return of the 40 percent net revenue entitlement and the devolution of powers to Sabah and Sarawak under the return of autonomy to the Borneo States.”
Guandee said Jeffrey believed the future of Sabah lay together with Sarawak and that both states must work together to achieve the best results.
He refuted allegations that Star could not open branches or register members.
“Star’s party constitution is unique and unconventional, yet simple. Under its constitution, there is no need to register divisions or branches. It is purely an in-house administrative matter and free from hassles and legal compliances with the Registrar of Societies, as had been faced by so many conventional political parties, including Umno, MIC, DAP and even the LDP in Sabah in recent times.”
He added that Star was actually an NGO-oriented party in Sabah and was independent of Star in Sarawak. It derived its authority and power from the party constitution and its establishment was approved by the party’s Supreme Council, where Jeffrey was a deputy president with other representatives from Star Sabah.
“Jeffrey also believes in uniting all Sabahans, rather than just a particular race or community. He is not worried about PCS, which is his brainchild, as Star and PCS are both members of the United Sabah Alliance (US) or Gabungan Sabah.”
Guandee urged all local parties to work together under the Sabah alliance in order to win the next election and form the Third Force and the next Sabah government. This would be a major step towards restoring Sabah’s rights and autonomy in Malaysia, he said.