KOTA KINABALU: Grassroots pressure is mounting on Sabah STAR leader and Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan to pull out of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition ahead of the state election.
Senior party leader and Sulaman STAR division chairman Datuk Kalakau Untol is calling on the party to leave GRS, which is increasingly tied to Pakatan Harapan.
“I call on Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) to make a clean and bold break from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS),” he said, adding that remaining in GRS is no longer an option.
Kalakau said those who wanted GRS to go solo are now disappointed that GRS is partnering with Pakatan, which also works separately with Barisan Nasional.
“This deep disappointment is causing many supporters to vent their anger on social media,” he said.
“If STAR keeps delaying its exit from GRS, we risk losing supporters in the coming 17th state election,” he said on Monday (Sept 1).
He said Sabah STAR was founded to champion the people's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), but its voice in GRS is being sidelined by Kuala Lumpur-centric politics.
"Sabah STAR’s identity and spirit are slowly being silenced by compromises that do not reflect the heartbeat of the rakyat,” said Kalakau, a former federal deputy minister.
Talks of Sabah STAR leaving the eight-party ruling coalition have simmered for over a year, with the party forging a "unity" pact with fellow component Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) led by acting president Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Sabah STAR and PBS, the two largest non-Muslim native components of GRS with a combined 13 seats, last week reiterated that GRS should contest 55 of the 73 state seats with Pakatan, but rejected any deal with Barisan.
According to insiders, Sabah STAR wants PBS to also leave GRS if it decides to pull out ahead of the state election, due anytime before November 11.
However, key PBS leaders including Dr Gunsalam remain firm on staying within GRS, despite mounting pressure from veteran leaders to team up with Sabah STAR and contest solo.
They want the two non-Muslim native parties to focus on winning the 25 ethnic Kadazandusun, Murut and Rungus seats.
Kalakau said he was disappointed with PBS leaders who are still loyal to the coalition, despite the conflict of interest in working with Pakatan and Barisan.
"PBS is now sacrificing its original 1985 objective of fighting for Sabah’s rights and dignity, betraying the nationalistic dream of Sabah’s indigenous communities,” he said.
“If PBS abandons the proposed PBSTAR merger or collaboration, let Sabah STAR move on and group with other local parties,” he added.
