Jeffrey extends olive branch to party ‘rebels’

By Joe Fernandez
Leaders and members in the State Reform Party (Star), Sabah chapter, are heaving a sigh of relief after chairman Jeffrey Kitingan extended an olive branch to known “rebels” in the party despite being humbled for the first time by them at an emergency meeting this morning (Fri) in Kota Kinabalu.

Falling short of waving the proverbial white flag, Jeffrey for starters reportedly did an about-turn with about 20 party leaders including rebels. He claimed that he had never issued a gag order recently against them. It was stressed that the gag order was a “mistake” on the part of some of his more “over-zealous” aides.

The more vociferous among the leaders gathered begged to disagree on making a complete scapegoat of Jeffrey’s errant aides. However, it appears that they did not protest too much on the gag order “in the interest of party unity” after the party chairman announced that two members, a male and a female, would be appointed as his political secretaries.

Lawyer Moses Iking and Ranau member Juliana Situn, it was agreed, would both be offered the post of political secretary to Jeffrey.

This is the second time that Moses is being offered a party post. He was earlier offered a vice-chairmanship but declined on the grounds that the party took no action against another vice-chairman blacklisted by the Insolvency Department.

“Many of us would have liked the aides to be hauled up for disciplinary action but the matter was not discussed,” said a number of party leaders approached separately after the session. “The appointment of the two political secretaries is expected to cut Jeffrey’s errant aides down to size.”

The party leaders, who requested anonymity for fear of being accused of fishing in troubled waters, fumed that the errant aides had not only acted with or without permission in the chairman’s name but also had been “kurang ajar” (disrespectful) of late to several senior party leaders who tried to tick them off privately.

The meeting generally did not comment or did not disagree too much when Jeffrey proposed that the gist of all press statements prepared by party leaders be first cleared with him, at least by telephone, before being issued. His main concern appeared to be on “not souring relations with other opposition parties” and “not touching on party policies”, the latter being read as euphemism for anything the party chairman didn’t like.

One party leader said he had no objections to seeking clearance from Jeffrey on his press statements “provided the party chairman bothered to answer their telephone calls”. Jeffrey, it appears, has a reputation for not picking up telephone calls, not returning missed calls, and not responding to text messages or emails. It’s even said that he doesn’t read emails except on his Blackberry if it’s not too full.

“The chairman promised to take all calls especially from party leaders,” said one party leader who attended the meeting. “He also promised to be punctual in future for appointments.”

The party chairman allegedly turns up late, anywhere between an hour to three hours, for public gatherings and meetings.

The meeting did not fault Jeffrey for this tardy time management on his part but advised him not to take on too many appointments or simply agree each time to the times set by others. He was further advised to learn to delegate and trust his fellow party leaders.

So far, Star has yet to set up any Bureaus, Committees or Sub-Committees although it claims to have a membership of 200,000, of which 175,000 it was further claimed signed up within the first three months of the party being set up in Sabah recently.

The meeting agreed with Jeffrey that the party needs to hold regular meetings and all its Bureaus, Committees and Sub-Committees need to be set up as soon as possible.

The meeting agreed that the party’s proposed vision and mission statements and manifesto, all bones of contention among the leadership and rank-and-file, need to be dusted off and tabled for discussion.

The party’s vision and mission statements and manifesto, Jeffrey agreed, would not be finalized without input from all stakeholders and unanimously agreed at a series of party meetings called specifically for the purpose.

It was tentatively agreed that the first meeting of the proposed Political Bureau would be held tentatively in the afternoon on Mon to discuss the vision and mission for a start. The discussion on the manifesto would be shelved to a later date. In the morning, on Mon, Star would sign a pact with Transparency-International Malaysia in Kota Kinabalu, the meeting learnt.

The party leaders already have draft copies of the vision and mission and manifesto following input by several Supreme Council members. However, the matter became controversial when Jeffrey’s aides sent several emails to senior party leaders dismissing their input as “just spin and bullshit”.

The offending emails by the errant aides have been cited as the reason for the current tension between the party headquarters in Kota Kinabalu and senior party leaders. It appears that snatches of these emails have found their way into FaceBook, Twitter, Chats and text messages.

Jeffrey reportedly promised that he would brief the Political Bureau on Mon on his meetings earlier this week with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice president Tian Chua and party Treasurer William Leong.

No details related to Star were disclosed this morning.

Elsewhere, the meeting learnt that de facto PKR Chief Anwar Ibrahim is wary of Sabah Umno veteran Lajim Ukin and Upko deputy president Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing planning to defect to his party.
“It seems that both Lajim and Ukin are not interested in PKR but want to stand under the party symbol provided their respective factions are allotted 20 Muslim and 18 Native (Orang Asal) state seats,” said a Star leader. “Wilfred is willing to concede only one or two Native seats to Star.”

The suspicion is that both men would defect with their factions after the 13th General Election, said the leader. “We think that both Lajim and Wilfred would frog back to the Barisan Nasional (BN) after winning seats under PKR.”

Jeffrey announced in mid-April that Star would contest all 60 state seats at stake in Sabah and 26 parliamentary seats including Labuan in the 13th General Election.

The party is yet to climb down from this extreme position, reportedly a strategic move, but the word along the political grapevine in Sabah is that it would be prepared to retreat to 35 state seats and the related parliamentary seats.

It’s not known whether the 35 state seats include that which would be contested by the pro-tem United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) under the Star symbol. Usno had been reported to be eyeing 18 state seats.

33 comments:

  1. Read "JOE FERNANDEZ IS A LIAR" in wikisabah.

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    Replies
    1. Terpulanglah kepada para pembaca sendiri untuk membuat penilaian.

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  2. How could Joe Fernandez be a liar when Dr Jeffrey announced in mid-April, as he (JF) had written several weeks earlier, that Star would go for all 60 state seats in Sabah and the 26 parliamentary seats including Labuan. It's Sapp which are liars. Dr Jeffrey also lied when he first denied Joe Fernandez's story to please Sapp and subsequently contradicted himself with his 60/26 announcement.

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    1. Another LIAR! Fantastic! If Borneo Herald keeps publishing slanders like this? It'll be d death of this blog. Believe u me!

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    2. Banyak lagi blog-blog yang suka menabur fitnah, tapi kalau pembaca suka membaca isu-isu yang sudah disensasikan, susah juga ia akan tumbang. Tapi pembaca akan diperbodohkan oleh cerita yang tidak berfakta.

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    3. Oleh itu, pembaca jangan percaya semua apa yang di tulis di blog2..betul tentu lagi betul.

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  3. This is a good piece by journalist Joe. At least Joe is an independent journalist, not beholden to any party including Star, at least this is the indication we get from his latest pieces. Tq

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    1. Even though Joe Fernandez is independent, but we also have to look at their political leanings.

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    2. Joe sekarang makan gaji org tengah dan duit drpd pemimpin UMNO.
      Mcm mana dia boleh independent.
      Baruah yang tidak bermaruah bukan independent.

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    3. Masing2 ada pendapat sendiri, terpulang kepada pembaca untuk menilai.

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  4. If what Mr Joe Fernandez wrote here is the truth, which i believe is, then it is a very bad things indeed happening in STAR, which is led by a so-called educated Dr Kitingan...

    Dr Kitingan has to do something to improve on his punctuality and also his leadership style.. No wonder no other leaders want to join him in Star now.. Even his former aides and confidants have long left him.. poor guy

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  5. And does JK still believe that there is no need for 1 vs 1 in order to topple BN?

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    1. Because Jeffrey himself planned to contest all 60 seats and 26 parliament seats in Sabah by THEMSELVES. They have never intended to work together with other parties for this 1 on 1 fight.

      sabah-go-green.blogspot.com

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    2. perlawanan 1 lwn 1 takkan berlaku jika tiada kerjasama dikalangan pembangkang.

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  6. After being a Star Sabah's president, Jeffrey next target is to become the CM.

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    1. Jeffrey jumped from one party to another throughout his political career after failing to secure the president position. It is no doubt that Jeffrey have a very strong desire for top leadership.

      sabah-go-green.blogspot.com

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    2. JK pasti akan lompat parti jika dia gagal jadi presiden.. sekarang baru dia berjaya jadi presiden parti star..

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    3. Green Sabah! U r an ignorant fucking idiot who writes based on hearsay n lives on dwelling in da past politics! Wake up n smell your butt! Kataks? 60seats?? Where do u live?? In a cave?? Haiyoyo...

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    4. JK akan sentiasa lompat parti, sekiranya parti yang beliau ikut tidak berjaya.

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  7. Daniel John has just tendered his resignation from Star.
    With Joe Fernandez as adviser, Daniel will be contesting in Inanam and Sepanggar and Joe F. is also considering contesting himself against YTL.

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    1. The best thing Daniel has ever done for STAR Sabah! Well done!

      Joe Fernandez not even Sabahan! Contest what?!?

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  8. True fighters never leave their man behind, in this case 2 STAR frontliners decided to leave star (Joe dan Daniel) simply becoz of the appointment of moses and Juliana. From my POV, Joe and Daniel are coward and shellfish. A leader and a fighter for the party agenda and its struggle shall be committed to the party agenda. The Party agendas are more important than an individual. The struggle for the 7 Agenda Borneo must continue regardless of what these two cowardly people currently undertaking.

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    1. Joe dan Danil berpakat mau kasi gadoh Star dengan Sapp sebab Joe dan Danil mau Danil tanding di Inanam, kawasan Sapp.
      Kamurang tau kah diInanam, orang tidak mau Danil diInanam.
      Rasa2 orang Star diInanam pun tidak mau Danil diInanam sbb Danil hanya tau minum dan tdk mau masuk kampung.
      Joe hanya tau duduk cakap dan tulis kosong saja.
      Dua2 pun tidak guna dan tidak pernah berkorban untuk Star.

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    2. Masing2 ada agenda sendiri untuk kepentingan diri sendiri sahaja, SAPP kh Star kh tidak akan berjaya.

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  9. saya telah mendapat info yang boleh dipercayai dari pada parti pembangkang malaya mengatakan bahawa Joe/Daniel telah 'dirunding' oleh parti pembangkang malaya ini untuk bertanding di pru13 nanti atas ticket parti pembangkang malaya itu iaitu PKR.

    'rundingan' itu tidak diketahui jumlahnya tetapi dalam jumlah yang agak besar iaitu rm200k.

    inilah pemimpin yang berjuang hanya untuk kepentingan peribadi samata-mata.

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    Replies
    1. Kalau bagitu Jeffrey patut cepat2 ambik tindakan buang Joe dan Daniel.
      Kedua2 pengkhianat ini harus dibuang daripada Star.
      INI KALI LAH.

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  10. Semua cerita dorang ne karut marut, main lepas cakap saja .. mungkin orang2 BN kasih gaduh pembangkang kali ne..

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    Replies
    1. Pembangkang pun banyak yang tidak ngam, jangan pula kasih salah BN jika mereka tidak satu kepala.

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  11. Las2 Danil mohon maaf drpd JK dan merayu diampun dan diberi peluang terakhir balik dlm Star.
    Dia dedahkan Joe ambik duit Silvarajah dan arahan berpakat merosakkan nama JK dan Star utk melamahkan Star.
    Danil akun kesalahannya dipengaruh oleh Joe utk hantam Sapp utk merebut kerusi Inanam utk dia tanding.
    Danil berjanji tidak akan berhubung dgn Joe lagi dan tidak bertanding PRU-13.
    Boleh ampun org mcm ini?
    Boleh percaya baruah India mcm ini?
    Fikir2kan lah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bukan setakat saya tidak percaya 'barua' yang kau maksudkan, dengan kau punya tulisan sekali saya tidak percaya..

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  12. Belum apa-apa sudah timbul masalah dalaman STAR ini.

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    1. masa PRU nanti lagi banyak masalah yang ditimbulkan oleh star..

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  13. Star Sabah yang ditubuhkan "last minute" sepatutnya tidak perlu bertanding pada PRU13 ini.. JK patut fokuskan kepada usaha2 mengukuhkan dan mengstabilkan dulu parti..

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