SABAH Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has hit out at Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leader Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan for branding Peninsular-based political parties as “colonisers” and its local leaders as “traitors.”
The party labelled the comments as "irresponsible" and potentially seditious, warning they could destabilise peace and national unity in Sabah.
PKR Sabah Secretary Sazalye Donol accused Kitingan of failing to deliver substantive results on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), describing his remarks as "seasonal rhetoric" used to drum up support ahead of elections.
“All rights restored so far were initiated by PMX, even before any formal demands,” Sazalye said in Kota Kinabalu today.
He also urged Kitingan to step down from the unity government coalition if he could not cooperate with its partners.
Kitingan, who is the president of Sabah STAR and a GRS deputy chairman, made the remarks over the weekend during the alliance’s youth meeting in Kota Kinabalu.
A two-minute portion of his speech has gone viral, where the Keningau MP criticised Peninsular-based parties for already controlling 75% of parliamentary seats while also seeking the remaining 25% allotted to Sabah and Sarawak.
“Now they also want to contest in the state election and compete for 73 state seats. Ladies and gentlemen let’s give them a big egg (zero seats),” he said.
Kitingan further accused Sabah leaders of the Peninsular-based parties of betraying the state.
“They claim to be leaders for Sabahans. No, no. They are Sabahans, but they are traitors to the state of Sabah. Don’t be a traitor. Be a patriot for Sabah,” he added.
The exchange of words between Kitingan and Sazalye introduces tensions between GRS and Sabah PH and potentially complicates seat negotiations and electoral strategy ahead of the state election with the two alliances. – December 9, 2024
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