Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin posted on his Facebook page a fresh debate challenge, believed intended for Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, on Friday..
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has once again challenged Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan to a public debate, this time via social media.
In a Facebook post on Friday (May 23), Bung Moktar expressed he was ready to face off with the Sabah STAR president over key political issues in the state.
“Kalau nak debat, ayo kita debat, bagi tahu saya masa dan tempatnya,” he wrote. ("If you want to debate, let's do it. Just tell me the time and place.")
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The post has since garnered over a thousand likes, been shared 49 times, and received 376 comments, a mix of support, sarcasm and scepticism from netizens.
This latest post marks Bung Moktar’s continued push for a head-to-head engagement with Kitingan following their recent exchange over state leadership and political direction.
Bung Moktar had previously criticised the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leadership and called for greater accountability from those helming the state, particularly over Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the popular slogan "Sabah for Sabahans".
In response, Kitingan, when met at the Kaamatan Festival 2025 press conference on Thursday (May 22), indicated that he was open to a public debate, but questioned its purpose.
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“I am ready, but what is the benefit? If it would be beneficial, then it is good. Anyway, I am ready anytime. In fact, it does not have to be me, my team is capable too (of facing Bung Moktar),” said Kitingan.
Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman, first issued the challenge during the launch of Sabah Umno's Gerak17 campaign for the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency at the Mara Skills Institute (IKM) in Sepanggar last weekend.
He said sentiments rooted in regionalism are increasingly being used as political tools ahead of the 17th Sabah state election (PRN17).
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“This election is crucial. That is why slogans like ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ and ‘Sabah First’ have emerged. I want to ask Dr Jeffrey (Kitingan), why didn’t you support Warisan after the 2018 election when they won 29 seats?
“If you truly believed in ‘Sabah for Sabahans’, you would have backed Warisan, not Barisan. If he wants a debate with me, I am ready … on any issue, including the ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ slogan,” Bung Moktar said.
At the time of writing, Kitingan has yet to respond directly to the latest call.
