Jeffrey consolidates UBF as key aide joins BN-Upko

Michael Kaung

United Borneo Front which shouldered the Borneo Agenda idea lost its key promoter to Sabah Barisan Nasional.

KOTA KINABALU: Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF), a registered NGO founded by maverick politician Jeffrey Kitingan, has taken fledgeling United Borneo Front (UBF) under its wings.

The move is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition of leadership to fresh young leaders who ‘can continue with the UBF agenda and assist members to register the body’, said Jeffrey.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the UBF committee is not a political party although matters which are addressed by the committee are political in nature.

“I will eventually delegate my duties in UBF to a new chairman but in the meantime, I will continue to lead the UBF committee as chairman.

“When I finally find a successor, I will observe the committee in an ex-officio capacity as the overall president of the Borneo Heritage Foundation,” he said.

Jeffrey disclosed that the UBF committee under the BHF will comprise new faces from their membership database.

Jeffrey’s decision to bring UBF under BHF wing is believed to be related to the move by UBF co-founder Nikakrishna James to join active politics.

Nilakrisna announced yesterday that she had joined senior Barisan Nasional partner Upko. She presented her membership form to Upko president Bernard Dompok at the party’s headquarters in Penampang yesterday.

Commenting on Nilakrisna’s move, Jeffrey said: “I fully support and respect Nila’s decision.

“Upko has shown a real commitment to the Borneo Agenda and even participated in some of our tea parties.

“Nila intends to promote the Borneo Agenda through politics…she’s informed me that she will continue to participate in the UBF’s ‘Borneo Tea Parties’,” he said.

UBF struggle

Jeffrey added that Nilakrisna had discussed, in great detail, her move to Upko and a succession plan for UBF to ensure its longevity and sustainability.

“She will continue to promote the UBF’s struggle and though she will not be part of the new UBF committee, she will always be known as the UBF co-founder,” he said.

Meanwhile Jeffrey said that he planned to ‘summarise and simplify” UBF’s core demands such that it was easier for people to understand and grasp.

Admitting to exhaustion, Jeffrey said he intended to reduce his intense workload and schedule in other NGOs and movements that he leads.

“I have not fully recovered from my injuries which I sustained in a car accident a few years ago.

“It has physically compromised me and the intensity of having to balance a political and non-political career is taking a serious toll on my health.

“There will be more delegation of duties especially if the call of duty means that I may have to take on the more physically demanding role of becoming a politician in preparation of the 13th general election.

“In the next few months as I continue with my ‘Borneo Tea Parties’, I will monitor my ability to physically sustain the intense travelling and work expected of me if I entered the political arena.

“In the event I rejoin politics, I may either register a new party or join an existing one,” Jeffrey said.