Scrap July 9 march, Jeffrey tells Bersih

Partyless Sabah politician Jeffrey Kitingan believes that Bersih has achieved 'half its objectives' after two months of being in the news and should accept the Election Commission's offer to talk.

KOTA KINABALU: The Barisan Nasional (BN) government and Election Commission (EC) received an unexpected boost from Sabah in the form of Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, once a thorn in the side of both.

The United Borneo Front (UBF) leader has urged Bersih, the coalition for clean and fair elections, to scrap their planned protest march on July 9 and take up the offer of talks made by the EC.

He said whilst UBF fully supported all of Bersih’s noble objectives, the current situation called for all parties to be rational and work to avoid provocation.

“Going ahead with the demo is not the best idea knowing that it could lead to too many undesirable outcomes.

“Since the EC has already opened its door to talk and sort things out, Bersih should see that half its objectives have already been achieved (in the two months of being in the news).

“It needs to realise that it can still pursue its additional objective through other more diplomatic means.

“It can even let Perkasa go ahead with its own demonstration first and see what happens,” he said.

Jeffrey made the call following reports that right wing Malay group, Perkasa and the Umno Youth wing also planned to hold their own marches on the same day.

The timing of the Perkasa and Umno Youth demonstrations to coincide with the Bersih march is widely viewed as a bid to intimidate the the opposition supported Bersih marchers.

Surprising comment

Jeffrey’s caution comes as a surprise as all Sabah-based political parties have at one time or the other vented the frustration at what they saw as unfair elections and rigged electoral rolls.

The mercurial native leader himself was detained without trial in the early 1990s under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for what was seen as a bid to challenge the authority of the federal government over Sabah.

His sudden cautious attitude will be seen as a surrender and viewed with suspicion by his more assertive supporters who have gone so far as to seek the assistance of the European Community governments to exert pressure on the federal government to grant Sabahans a greater say over their destiny.

The former PKR vice-president who is the brother of deputy chief minister, Joseph Pairin Kitingan, has shifted his stance several times over various issues, confusing many of his supporters over his political direction.