KOTA KINABALU: United Borneo Front (UBF) chief Jeffrey Kitingan has slammed the door on Anwar Ibrahim and will not return to PKR.
Strongly rejecting any further possibilities of going back to PKR, Jeffrey said: “What is the point?”
“As far as I am concerned, everything about PKR has become totally irrelevant, and I have totally no wish to have anything to do with it.”
The former PKR vice-president, who left the party early this year, said he had already made his decision to move on and wanted to end all speculations of him returning to PKR.
“Some in Kuala Lumpur had tried to broach the topic with me through third parties, but I have absolutely no desire to talk about it.
“Don’t waste your time,” he said in a statement issued through his aide Raymond Tombung.
Jeffrey’s statement has ended talks of a secret effort by PKR de facto leader Anwar to woo him back.
FMT reported yesterday that Anwar was sending his two trusted emmisaries – Micheal Bong and David Yeoh – together with PKR leader Christina Liew for a rendezvous with Jeffrey tomorrow.
But Jeffrey’s supporters, in response to the FMT report, reacted strongly to the suggestion of him even meeting the three-member delegation.
One of Jeffrey’s advisers, Awang Ahmad Sah Awang Sahari, said any attempt to get Jeffrey back into PKR would be a disgrace.
Awang said Jeffrey, who resigend from PKR on New Year’s day, “should not meet with any emissary and should tell them to go back to Kuala Lumpur and tell Anwar that Sabah is out of timber and iron to replace the burnt bridge.”
According to Awang, both Bong and Yeoh in 2009 were witnesses to a PKR peace plan when a crisis erupted following an attempt to register a PKR break-away party, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).
“Bong and Yeoh were the witnesses but never defended the peace plan when its existence was denied. As a result, PKR leaders Daniel John Jambun, Mozes Iking and myself were suspended for a year.
“Therefore they are not credible and are irresponsible. Anwar, on the other hand, never trusted Jeffrey, and coming back to woo him is just a shameful act,” he said.
Only lip service
Jeffrey today stayed true to his 2011 New Year resolution and decision to quit the party, saying: “PKR could not even fulfill a small simple thing like upholding the principle of democracy in the selection of its state leaders.
“So how do we expect it to fulfill the long list of demands from Sabahans for their rights and autonomy?
“It is obviously impossible for PKR to meet the long list of needs and desires of the people of Sabah and Sarawak because of its autocratic party leadership.
“The lip service by Anwar about meritocracy, accountability and transparency is nothing more than blatant hypocrisy because he cannot even let the members choose their own state leaders without him interfering.”
Jeffrey said he deeply resented the manipulations done during the last party elections by the party adviser, saying Anwar’s action was very unbecoming of a party leader.
Jeffrey said he did not believe that Sabah PKR would ever be granted autonomy in all matters concerning the state including autonomous power for Sabah and Sarawak as agreed prior to the formation of Malaysia Federation back in 1963.
“Let us therefore continue with our struggle for the people of Sabah according to our own way,” he added.
Meanwhile, party insiders believe the alleged move by Anwar was a sign of a desperate PKR looking to Jeffrey to reignite its support in the state.
They claimed that Anwar was prepared to agree to allow Jeffrey to head Sabah PKR if that is what it takes to bring him back. - FMT
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