KOTA KINABALU: Sabah STAR has appointed interim division leaders to replace the five assemblymen who quit after its president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan pulled the party out of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
"We have taken proactive steps to ensure that the spirit and strength of our political movement remains intact.
"Interim division leaders have been appointed in all five constituencies formerly represented by the incumbents, tasked with holding the fort and mobilising STAR's election machinery in preparation for the upcoming polls," Sabah STAR information chief Anuar Ghani said.
He said the new interim leaders were rooted in the party's grassroots networks and were fully committed to Sabah STAR agenda to seek Sabah's rights.
The five assemblymen Datuk Ellron Angin (Sook) Datuk Robert Tawik (Bingkor), Datuk Annuar Ayub (Liawan), Datuk Abdin Madingkir (Paginatan) and Datuk Flovia Ng (Tulid) resigned from the party to stay with GRS.
Anuar said that Sabah STAR would contest the upcoming elections with local party allies.
"This is not merely a tactical choice, but a principled move," he said, adding that Sabah STAR was confident that the people wanted local parties to lead the state.
Anuar said that they have also noted that Parti Bersatu Sabah were offering the five assemblymen to use and lead the election machinery for their constituencies.
"We respect the decision of the five incumbents and find that the offer by PBS was not surprising," he said.
"Sabah STAR's struggle has never been about personalities, but about the future and dignity of Sabah and its people.
"STAR's core mission, encapsulated in our enduring tagline 'Sabah for Sabahans', is a cause deeply understood and embraced by our grassroots supporters.
"This struggle for political and economic self-determination has always been the foundation of our movement.
"It's above individual interests or affiliations.
"The people will judge them and deliver their verdict," he added.
Sabah STAR, unlike PBS, Anuar said was following the wishes of the delegates at the PBS-STAR Convention on July 12 where all voiced out that GRS must go solo in the coming election.
