Adnan: Jeffrey not an Umno member

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has not accepted Sabah State Assemblyman for Bingkor Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan as a member of the party, said Umno executive secretary Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. 

He confirmed this in a statement yesterday following the confusion over the issue of Dr Jeffrey’s membership in Umno. 

“The Umno headquarters had investigated the issue and the membership data in its information system showed the approval was for Gapari bin Kitingan as said in the membership form received by the headquarters,” said Tengku Adnan. 

He said the first application form from Dr Jeffrey was received through Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob on Dec 20 with the name stated as “Gapari bin Kitingan @ Geoffrey Kitingan” from the Kampung Sakikilu branch of the Keningau division. 

He said the Umno management committee had postponed approval for the membership application on Jan 29. 

“Following this, a man named Gapari bin Kitingan had on Feb 20 applied to become a member of Umno in the Kampung Pauh area, Keningau Division and the application had been sent to the information system division,” he added.  

Tengku Adnan said the division keyed in the details in the name of Gapari bin Kitingan on April 17 and as the computer did not reject the name, the application was registered. 

“Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan’s real name as in the identity card is Gapari bin Kitingan @ Geoffrey Kitingan and this had caused confusion in the application,” he added. – Bernama