An opposition free-for-all certain

Kota Kinabalu: The possibility of an all-out wrangle over seats among the opposition that may prevent a one-to-one battle against the ruling Barisan Nasional in the coming general election appears to be the case.With the dust from peninsula-based DAP's announcement that it wants to contest 20 State and 8 parliamentary seats having hardly settled, fellow opposition Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) on Friday said it wants to contest in at least 20 state seats and 9 parliamentary seats.

There are 60 State seats and 25 Parliamentary seats at stake as of now. The Sabah-based party said it has identified all its candidates and would wait for the right time to announce their names, with exception of two.

Its Sec-Gen Guandee Kohoi said Star will field a retired Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) engineer Ir Joel Masilung and one Terence Sinti in Tandek and Kiulu, respectively.

"Eighty per cent of our candidates will be new and young faces," he said, adding the party might also contest in the east coast if there are no takers from other parties in Gabungan Sabah, a loose Sabah coalition comprising Star, SAPP (led by Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee) and Parti Harapan Rakyat (led by Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin).

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There is no indication how many seats both the latter Gabungan partners would contest or if they were agreeable to Star's wish.

"There's a big possibility we will contest. We have divisions in Bugaya, Sulabayan and also Apas in Tawau.

We also have many members in Tungku, Sungai Sibuga. We might likely challenge for these seats as well," he added.

He said Star's priority areas are in the interior and will definitely field candidates in Keningau parliamentary as well as Tenom and Pensiangan.

He said it will also contest in state seats in these areas. He expressed confidence that the party will win "many state and parliamentary seats this time" as its president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has been committed and consistent in fighting for the rights of Sabah in the Malaysian federation.

"After all, Star is a local political party," he said.

Guandee announced that the party would be organising its first convention on 2 July in Kota Kinabalu.

A day earlier, the party will be celebrating its first anniversary.

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Another opposition party, Warisan led by former Umno Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal criticized the DAP's announcement that it had "locked" the 28 seats it wants to contest, saying it is best to avoid multi-cornered fights that would give the BN an easy victory due to the split opposition votes.

Parti Cinta Sabah, a former Gabungan partner, and the national-based Pakatan Harapan Sabah as well as the newly formed Parti Pakar are the other opposition parties that have yet to declare their intention on seats. - Leonard Alaza

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