Sabah politics: It’s all in the crowd size
Will Jeffrey Kitingan quit Star party if his other option Parti Cinta Sabah gets a late approval in time for the 13th general election?
He is confident Star will make an impact in the elections, but placed a caveat on predictions. “We have to work out with other opposition parties…” he said referring to a possible alliance with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and possibly Sabah People’s Front (SPF).
Luke Rintod, Free Malaysia Today
If Sabah’s turbulent political history is an indication, then today could go down as yet another day when a dramatic event set Sabah on a new course.
This one takes place at the main hall of the famous Hongkod Koisaan, the headquarters of the influential Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA), when maverick politician Jeffrey Kitingan jointly launches a new party – the Sabah chapter of the Sarawak Reform Party (Star) – in the state to push for political and social reform.
Kitingan is the chairman of the Sabah chapter and according to the organising chairman of the launch, Awang Ahmad Shah, Sabah Star will be ‘fully autonomous”.
Always a colourful figure, Kitingan has issued an open invitation to all Sabahans to the launch and speculations has it that a sizeable crowd could gather to hear what he has to say about the state’s political future.
Those allied to Kitingan and his NGO, the United Borneo Front (UBF) expect several thousand to attend the launching.
Guandee Kohoi who heads the secretariat of Star’s Sabah chapter expects the 5,000 capacity hall to be packed.
The size of the crowd will signal if the state’s new political vehicle will be a real force in the coming general election. If the crowds spill outside, then it will be a sign that Star could win some seats, observers said.
Optimistic Kitingan
Kitingan himself is optimistic of the steps he is taking.
“Everywhere we have (held) our Borneo tea parties, people were asking me which party to vote in the coming election and now we have our own party, so see you there on Friday,” he told his friends ahead of the launching.
He is confident Star will make an impact in the elections, but placed a caveat on predictions.
“We have to work out with other opposition parties…” he said referring to a possible alliance with Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and possibly Sabah People’s Front (SPF).
But many are skeptical of the ability of the state’s opposition leaders agreeing to come to a compromise to allow an equitable seat arrangement among themselves.
Already, SAPP has indicated it plans to contest in 40 out of the 60 state constituencies in Sabah albeit before Kitingan announced Star’s entry into Sabah.
SPF has also said it would put up candidates in all the 60 seats at stake.
Star is positioning itself to contest in almost all the Sabah state seats and Kitingan, it is understood, is also eyeing the 11 Kadazandusun and mixed Parliamentary seats.
It is understood too that Kitingan’s plan is to enable Usno revivalists to take over another party, failing which they should use a common symbol, the party’s nine pointed star.
“Greed and selfishness have always been the trademark of Sabah’s politicians, and Dr Jeffrey (Kitingan) knows this fact,” said an ardent observer who wished to be known only as Greg.
“More often than not, Sabah politicians succumb to personal agenda rather than the state agenda. Look at the downfall of Usno, Berjaya and even PBS, it was all marred by personal agendas one way or another,” he said.
