PENAMPANG: The call for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to contest the 17th state elections independently rang loud and clear at the first joint convention between Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) at KDCA, Saturday.
PBS President Datuk Seri Joachim Gunsalam, said contesting with only Star as sole partner would be political suicide, as even together, they still lack the numbers to form a government.
“You might be kingmakers… But right now, our best path forward is with GRS, which is a purely local coalition. We have no choice.
“If GRS loses, the other side will dominate Sabah even more,” he warned.
“That’s when Sabahans get trampled. If we don’t want that to happen, we must act now,” he said, adding that continued cooperation offers a real chance for Sabahans to thrive under a truly local banner.
Joachim also expressed confidence in GRS’ chances of contesting in areas like Sulabayan, Semporna, and Sungai Sibuga.
“It’s time to show our strength here at home and ensure a strong GRS victory. This isn’t the time to be fighting over seats, even if many are winnable.
“If we want to emulate Sarawak’s success, we must be willing to sacrifice. That doesn’t mean ignoring the divisions,” he said, calling on Sabah’s youth to lead and empower the grassroots.
His Star counterpart, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, told the packed convention that Sabah has been divided and subdued by external agendas ever since Malaysia’s formation.
“In facing the elections, what matters is identifying the real enemy, those preventing us from realising the Sabah agenda,” he said.
“We don’t hate them. But from the beginning, they sought to take over from the British. This was already agreed upon before Sabah even declared its independence.
“Sabah had hoped to gain independence first, then negotiate our entry into Malaysia,” he said.
Dr Jeffrey urged Sabahans to know their forgotten history, including the role of the North Borneo Council of Law.
“The proclamation on Sept 16 did not acknowledge Sabah as an independent state.
“This contrasts starkly with Article 1 of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and we ended up being treated like just another Malayan state.”
For over half a century, he said, Sabah has struggled to claim its rightful constitutional status due to a deliberate agenda to keep the state dependent on Kuala Lumpur.
He recalled being told, “Don’t go teaching people what they don’t know” when detained for 26 months in by the Internal Security Act in 1991.
“But I guess karma struck in 2018 when cracks began to show in the federal government and Tun Mahathir’s return as Prime Minister. Perhaps the silver lining was the establishment of the MA63 committee.”
Dr Jeffrey recalled how MA63 used to be a taboo topic, but is now politicised by every party, leading to fragmentation.
“Sabahans must stand united. That’s why the ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ sentiment must be rekindled.
“People have forgotten who this land truly belongs to. That’s also why we created initiatives like Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga. Because if not us, then who?”
He pointed out that Sabah and Sarawak remain sidelined, with fewer administrative divisions despite having more landmass than Peninsular Malaysia.
“Our financial rights go beyond just the 40pc. Even the increase from RM26 million to RM600 million interim payments is just candy.
“They’ll come again to reclaim political control, which should rightfully belong to locals.
“When we contest there, we are rejected. So when they come here, we should reject them. If Sarawak can do it, why can’t we?
“We’ve learned from our mistakes, and that’s why we must continue the fight,” he said.
Addressing videos linking him and other Star leaders to an alleged mining scandal, Dr Jeffrey clarified that only exploration licences were granted, not mining ones.
“And even the supposed briber never admitted to giving bribes. So what is the truth?
“There are hidden hands and political forces behind all this,” he said, pointing to politicians with pending charges who still hold powerful positions.
“Let this election be a referendum, either we return power to Sabah, or continue surrendering it to outsiders,” he said.
