KOTA KINABALU: A burning question among political observers in Sabah is whether or not Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, is staying put in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ruling state coalition.
Sabah's political circles are closely watching the maverick leader as he makes statements that are open to interpretation in different ways by his colleagues, opponents and supporters.
His latest statement in a TikTok video that went viral had him seemingly saying that the party would leave GRS, but still be aligned with the government.
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To those reading between the lines, it could seem like political posturing over the eight-party coalition's choice of electoral ally in the upcoming state election.
When contacted on Friday (July 4), Kitingan, who is Deputy Chief Minister I, said his comment had been taken out of context.
He said his remark about quitting GRS was in response to a question as to which national coalition it may align with for the polls: Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, or Perikatan Nasional.
"Then I said, if GRS is with Pakatan only, it depends on the number of seats and whether they (Pakatan) are prepared to (compromise).
"We want to see how sincere they are, but then not all (parties in) Pakatan can agree also," he said.
He added that Sabah STAR was not keen to be in GRS if it went with Barisan.
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On Thursday (July 3), Sabah STAR communications director Datuk Jalumin Bayogoh clarified that the video clip had been selectively edited and misrepresented Kitingan’s actual stance.
The position of Sabah STAR, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) led by Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, and Usno under Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia within GRS has been a frequent topic of debate as the three party leaders are keen on GRS contesting the election on its own.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) president, has maintained that GRS is ready to work with Sabah Pakatan without Sabah Barisan, which is led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.
It is understood that Pandikar and Yong, who are closely aligned to Kitingan, are also waiting for Sabah STAR's next move that could change the political landscape ahead of the election.
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In April last year, Sabah STAR formalised an election pact with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), announcing that both parties would contest as allies, focusing primarily on non-Muslim native seats.
PBS acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, who has also rejected a tie-up with Barisan, has repeatedly maintained that the party will stick with GRS.
Political analyst Dr Romzi Ationg said there is no clear indication that Sabah STAR will leave GRS.
He added that political manoeuvring and tensions in Sabah's coalition politics have made the landscape unpredictable.
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"Sabah STAR has shown signs of assertiveness and independence within the GRS coalition, especially on issues related to MA63 (the Malaysia Agreement 1963) and resource control, among others.
"But unless there’s a major fallout, such as leadership disputes, a breach of agreements, or a major ideological conflict, an outright departure is unlikely in the near term.
"Jeffrey Kitingan has historically been pragmatic and politically agile, often focusing on positioning rather than burning bridges," he added.
He observed that the frequent speculation about GRS component parties' "next moves" stemmed from their complexities, differing ideologies and ambitions, and the protection of the respective party interests.
"Everyone wants to appear united but also guard their turf. This creates contradictory messaging," Romzi said.
