Nizam
KOTA KINABALU (Dec 11): Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s speech during the launching of the GRS Youth movement did not contain any elements of incitement.
Instead, the speech aimed to inspire the youth machinery regarding the party’s mission and struggle by emphasizing the principle of “Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga”, said Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah information chief Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan.
Nizam who is also a committee member of GRS’ Information Bureau, said the principle calls on the youth to defend what is rightfully theirs and be cautious of traitors who attempt to seize it.
“The question is, why is the Umno Sabah chief so affected by this speech? Does this indirectly imply that Umno is a traitor to the State Government? As an experienced politician, it is inappropriate for Datuk Bung Moktar Radin to personally attack Dr Jeffrey by bringing up his tumultuous political journey. What relevance does a leader’s political journey have to this issue?” asked Nizam.
He opined that as a leader who was once part of the GRS government and won in both the Lamag State Assembly and Kinabatangan Parliament with the support of GRS members, Bung Moktar should support the principle of “Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga”.
However, it seems he is still struggling to accept the reality that the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) era has ended, Nizam said in a statement yesterday.
“This is now the era of GRS, with a clear mission and the fight for the people of Sabah driven by the Sabah Maju Jaya plan,” he said and stressed that Bung Moktar must also realize that the people of Sabah are increasingly supporting local parties that understand their needs and aspirations.
His attack on the principle of “Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga” only highlights his and Umno’s anxiety about their waning public support.
Nizam said that Jeffrey stated the people of Sabah must unite with their leaders to reject the divide-and-rule methods that have undermined the state’s development, economy and social fabric for decades under Umno’s administration.
He opined that Jeffrey’s argument was based on facts, not political rhetoric.
“Bung Moktar, as the long-serving MP for Kinabatangan, must be aware that the constituency remains underdeveloped and impoverished. This is clear evidence of the failure of the administration model he represents.
“What’s more surprising is that Bung Moktar places trust in a questionable video recording that clearly has political motives. Is Bung part of this conspiracy, acting as both prosecutor and judge simultaneously?” Nizam said.
According to him, as a leader, Bung Moktar should be wise enough to understand that any video, audio, or image that has been edited and lacks credibility will not be accepted as evidence in court.
“It would be better for him to focus on the court charges he is currently facing. Therefore, my advice to Datuk Bung Moktar is to mind his own business, focus on the real issues, and comply with the law without making baseless accusations,” Nizam said.
On Tuesday, Bung Moktar criticised Jeffrey for attempting to portray himself as a hero within the struggling GRS coalition, a move he deems unsuccessful.
He expressed that Jeffrey’s recent remarks labelling other parties as traitors during the GRS Youth launch event were inflammatory, lacking substance, and ultimately damaging to his own credibility.