Dr Jeffery….will ‘go alone’ if other assemblymen and leaders in his party disagree with the decision to leave GRS.
KOTA KINABALU : – Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) has quit Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), a day after threatening to leave over the coalition’s decision to work with Pakatan Harapan in the upcoming state polls.
STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan confirmed the matter to The Star, saying he informed the GRS presidential council of the decision at a meeting last night.
“We will make an announcement anytime today,” he was quoted as saying.
Another GRS component, the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), is expected to follow in the footsteps of STAR, which has a total of six assemblymen, including Kitingan.
Yesterday, Kitingan said his party would pull out of GRS if it went ahead with the pact with PH, adding that this stance was based on grassroots sentiments.
The deputy chief minister also said he would “go alone” if other assemblymen and leaders in STAR disagree with his decision to leave GRS.
Sabah chief minister and GRS chairman Hajiji Noor chaired the coalition’s presidential council meeting last night at his official residence.
Hajiji, Parti Bersatu Sabah acting president Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Usno and Parti Cinta Sabah reportedly expressed no objection to working with PH during the meeting.
The Liberal Democratic Party and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah are said to have agreed to back the alliance but preferred if GRS went solo.
However, Kitingan and SAPP president Yong Teck Lee were adamant that GRS should go solo and not work with PH.