‘Don’t be greedy,’ Jeffrey tells Pakatan

By Luke Rintod of FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Newly-installed State Reform Party (Star) Sabah chapter chairman Jeffrey Kitingan has warned Pakatan Rakyat today ‘not to be greedy’ and to focus on their challenges in the peninsular.

He also said that it would not be of any good to Sabah if peninsular-based parties are allowed to “dominate and control” Sabah like what Umno is doing.

“Enough is enough. We cannot depend on outsiders to lead us. Let Pakatan Rakyat parties concentrate in Peninsular. They control already four states, why must control Sabah and Sarawak too? Don’t be too greedy.

“If they (PR parties), like Umno also want to dominate and control over us, then there is not much difference between them and Umno or Barisan Nasional.

“A takeover by any Malayan-based party will result in us in the same situation under Umno. You can take from me,” said the maverick Kitingan who was once jailed for speaking up for Sabah rights during former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s rule.

He was speaking at the launching of the Sabah chapter of the Sarawak-based party at the Hongkod Koisaan hall near hear Friday.

Kitingan, who was a a vice-president of PKR before this, said the time had come for Sabah-based political parties to take charge and responsibility again in the state matters.

During his 50 minutes speech, Kitingan explained the conditions of Sabah and Sarawak in at the onset of Malaysia formation in 1963 and the dashed hope of the people in both the successive governments as well as the current and previous leaders of the two large states.

The Harvard scholar also explained why he finally chose Star instead of other state parties as his vehicle.