Dr. Jeffrey to Continue to lead STAR, Bumburing tipped to lead PCS

KOTA KINABALU - “YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan will stay with STAR to lead the fight for Sabah rights and freedom despite the temptation to be with Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS),” said Guandee Kohoi, Deputy Secretary-General of STAR in a press statement released in response to media reports that Dr. Jeffrey had declined to helm PCS amidst allegations that STAR is unable to open branches and recruit members.

Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan wants to consistent as he stood and won the Bingkor State seat on a STAR ticket in PRU-13.

He has been consistent in his struggle for Sabah rights and has not wavered since the 1980s despite being imprisoned under the draconian ISA for 2-1/2 years in the early 1990s.   His struggle for Sabah and highlighting of Sabah rights including Sabah’s entitlement of the 40% net revenue derived from Sabah are now noticeable.  

Thanks to Dr. Jeffrey (right) and his dedicated team under the United Borneo Front and STAR Sabah, including many teachers and others who have made personal sacrifices, they have awakened and enlightened the people in Sabah and Sarawak to their State rights.

The fight for Sabah rights are now beginning to be voiced by other political parties both in 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% net revenue entitlement and the devolution of powers to Sabah and Sarawak under the return of autonomy to the Borneo States.

STAR is a local party fighting for the rights of the Borneo States in Malaysia.

Dr. Jeffrey believes that the future of Sabah lies together with Sarawak and that the two Borneo States must work together to achieve the best results.  

It is not true that STAR cannot 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 LDP in Sabah in recent times.

STAR is actually an NGO-oriented party in Sabah and is independent of STAR in Sarawak and derives its authority and power from the party constitution and its establishment is approved by the party’s Supreme Council where Dr. Jeffrey is a Deputy President with other representatives from STAR Sabah.

He 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.

Sabah rights transcends race, religion and creed and Sabahans need to be united to achieve the return of their autonomy and State rights as promised in the formation of Malaysia.   

It can be seen that the federal government and BN led by Umno are using race and religion to divide Sabahans.  This division ultimately dilutes the support and the fight for the restoration of Sabah rights including ownership rights to its oil and gas resources which have been illegitimately seized by Petronas and the federal government since 1976.

As such, all local parties should together under the Sabah alliance in order to win the next election and form the Third Force and the next Sabah government which will be a major step towards restoring Sabah’s rights and autonomy in Malaysia. 

We cannot allow Malayan political parties to fight over Sabah to control its wealth and resources as if Sabah is just a piece of lifeless and brainless property as being a “fixed deposit” to Umno or to treat Sabahans as fools to help them control Putrajaya and the federal government.