Telipok: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s struggle to demand for Sabah’s constitutional rights, which led to his nearly three-year imprisonment in the early 1990s, forged a path for today’s leaders to practice their rights to free speech.
The topic has been hotly debated in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly and Malaysian Parliament.
Star Secretary-General Datuk Edward Linggu said more leaders and political parties are highlighting the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) and Sabah’s financial rights in the Federation of Malaysia as the core of their struggle.
“We see the political leaders now scrambling to fight for MA63 and, thankfully, there are more and more achievements in the demand for Sabah’s rights,” he said.
He added that Dr Jeffrey’s statement about Sabah’s rights published in the local newspaper on Jan 16, 1987, had led him to become a political fugitive under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Linggu, a former Tamparuli Assemblyman, said this when officiating the Triennial General Meeting of Star Karambunai Division held at Dewan Bukit Payung, Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), here, recently.
The Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) Chairman invited the party members to continue to increase their understanding of Sabah’s position as an equal partner in Malaysia so they can enjoy 100 per cent of Sabah’s right to independence.
Earlier, Star Acting Deputy President Datuk Kapitan Stephen Teo, who was re-elected as the Karambunai Division Chief, insisted that he and all members in the division will continue to support Dr Jeffrey’s struggle to demand for Sabah’s constitutional rights.
He said their support is reflected in their active involvement in the implementation of party programmes at the central and divisional levels.
He said various programmes were carried out in that division since the Movement Control Order (MCO) like the distribution of food baskets, children’s supplementary food programmes, welfare donations, maintenance of several sports facilities and cooperation in surveying the visibility of the installation of telecommunications transmitters.
Also present were Vice President Dr Paul Porodong, who is also the party’s Strategy Director, Wiranita Deputy Chief Maria Gimbun and Wiramuda Deputy Chief Jordan Jude Ellron.
