27 quit Sabah PKR, join UBF

A group of 27 junior officers resigned en-bloc from Sabah PKR today to join former PKR vice-president Jeffrey Kitingan's United Borneo Front (UBF).

The group, who were all members of the party's KadazanDusun-Murut taskforce, announced their decision at a Borneo Tea Party which they organised this afternoon.

The leaders said they had emailed joint and individual resignation letters to party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (right) this morning, stating that they wished to “part amicably” on grounds that they “wish to pursue the Borneo Agenda” outside of the political mainstream.

In a one-page statement, the group said their decisions were independent of Jeffrey's move to quit PKR late last Sunday night, but pointed out that they subscribe and support the new political model and struggles of the UBF.

“We now feel that our allegiance must go to a cause that we genuinely believe in and which is closer to our hearts as the people of Borneo.

“We have waited a long time for a clearer direction and leadership that would empower our political and economic destinies in Sabah and Sarawak, where the Borneo Agenda to address the equality of our partnership with Malaya in the federation will be taken seriously on board by the powers that control us from (Peninsular) Malaysia.

“We are disheartened by the gradual erosion of our special rights and privileges and the fact that after nearly half a century in the federation, Sabah and Sarawak are reduced to the status of poor states with no control over the revenue derived from the vast amount of natural resources in our territories which benefit (Peninsular) Malaysia and the federal government in abundance.”

The group, which comprises a few deputy heads, Youth heads, and an information chief and a secretary from different divisions, stressed that they “do not subscribe” to either BN or Pakatan Rakyat, “which prioritise the agenda of (Peninsular) Malaysia at the expense of Borneo”.