Guandee Marcel
KOTA KINABALU: STARSabah clarified that Marcel Jude has never been an official lawyer for the party, and nor is he the division head for Tanjung Aru.
“The party has never deemed it necessary to have an official lawyer as there has never been any such need,” STAR Secretary General Datuk Guandee Kohoi explained.
“If any requirement arises we can always hire any capable lawyers in town. As such it is wrong to call Marcel Jude as a ‘STAR lawyer’ as he should correctly be called a lawyer who happens to be a member of the party.”
With regards to his position in the party, Kohoi said that it is true that he was accepted into the party as a member in 2017 with his intention to form the Tanjung Aru division as protem chairman.
“But he was too busy to be active in the party, and he couldn’t form the division due to inability to muster followers. As such we handed over the task to Richard Jayasuriya who also failed in the attempt,” he added.
“We eventually entrusted the proposed division to Ambrose Obon who was successful in forming the protem division and continues to be the head until today.”
Kohoi, who is also the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, regretted the continuing attempt by several quarters to associate the party to the cases involving the criminal charges against Philip Among and the offensive description of the Unduk Ngadau contest by Marcel Jude.
“There is an obvious attempt to sabotage the party by certain groups who are jealous of STAR’s strength and present position,” Kohoi said. “But we know the two cases will not tarnish the party since it has nothing to do with the actions of the individuals concerned.”
As for the future position of Marcel in STAR, Kohoi as secretary general, assured that the party disciplinary committee will meet immediately to decide on what action to take in accordance with the party’s constitution.
Marcel is defending Phillip, who has been suspended from STAR. Phillip has claimed trial to five charges of molesting two women, including a state-level Unduk Ngadau contestant.