Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan – Bernama photo
PENAMPANG (Mar 27): Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) may be contesting in five constituencies in the 15th general election, said its President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Dr Jeffrey said that the party wanted to contest in eight seats and that he will be defending his seat in the parliamentary constituency of Keningau.
“But after negotiations we may get five… that’s ok. I am not going to tell you where at this moment,” he said.
Dr Jeffery who was met by reporters after officiating the ‘tagal’ at Kampung Rugading in Moyog here yesterday said this when asked about the seats STAR is keen to contest in for the 15th general election.
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He added that they need to share the 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah with the component parties in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition and expressed hope that more of the seats will be given to local parties.
“If given the opportunity we will like to contest everywhere because this is an election. But we also recognise that there are other parties within PN and we want to work together with them so that we will be able to win the seats we contest in,” he said.
When asked if any elected representatives either from the opposition or the independents have indicated their interest to join STAR, Dr Jeffrey said many political parties have met with him to discuss the possibility of working together.
This, he said is not unusual during election as the opportunity to contest comes up and he added, “and whether they win or not, they will still try to join the fray.
On the delayed implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration, Dr Jeffrey who is Deputy Chief Minister is of the opinion that it would probably change the political landscape of the country.
“We do not know in what way but for sure they will have significant effect because I think there are about seven million new young voters coming in from and they will surely make a difference,” he stressed.
When asked to comment on Parti Warisan Sabah President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal’s statement that he (Dr Jeffrey) was no longer vocal about the Malaysian Agreement 1963, the Agriculture and Food Industry minister said he now has a different way of doing things.
“I am not quiet but I am not repeating my way of doing things because I am now in the government whereas before I was in the opposition.
“It is not election time yet and as we are in power now, we try to do as much as possible to find a way to get what we want from the inside. I have been consistent with what and wherever I am.
“I also speak out even in the special committee for MA63 but of course the public don’t know. It is different to speak inside and to speak outside. So believe me I am who I am, I fight for what we have and I am very confident that before the end of our five year term in the state government, we will double or more than double the revenue of the state from the more than RM4 billion to RM8 billion to RM10 billion, maybe more,” Dr Jeffery said.
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