Is it Star in Sabah for Jeffry?

Once dormant Sarawak Reform Party (Star) looks set to make a comeback through Sabah.

KUCHING: Speculations are rife that Sabah political maverick Jeffrey Kitinggan will be announcing the Sabah chapter of once dormant Sarawak Reform Party (Star) tomorrow.

Star is headed by former assistant minister Patau Rubis. It was formed 16 years ago and has been dormant since 2008.

Yesterday, Kitingan, who is the co-founder of United Borneo Front (UBF) announced that he would make an announcement regarding his political future amidst growing speculation that he was setting up a Sabah chapter of a Sarawak based party.

Kitingan, who is a former PKR vice-president, has been trying to register UBF as a political party but his efforts have ended in vain.

Rubis, who was once a member of Sarawak National Party (Snap) and a minister in Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s cabinet, when contacted today said: “You can wait for the announcement on Friday; in the meantime you can speculate it.

“But speculation can be wrong,” he said.

But Rubis did indicate that Kitingan’s announcement tomorrow would also coincide with the anniversary of Star’s formation 16 years ago.

Star is expected to be officially launched early next month.

Borneo Alliance

In the past Star had fielded candidates in both parliamentary and state elections but with no success.

Since 2008 parliamentary election, the party has been dormant.

Observers here are of the view that Kitingan was left with no choice but to engage Star.

“When ROS turned down UBF application, Kitingan started looking. It is difficult for Kitingan to take over Sabah based parties.

“He is forced to seek a party that he can use to launch his Borneo Agenda. Kitingan is committed to fighting for the restoration of the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.

“He wants the Umno federal government to return to the terms of the Malaysia Agreement,” said an observer.

Jeffrey, who has spend the year holding hundreds of Borneo Tea Parties throughout Sabah and Sarawak to explain his Borneo Agenda is set to reveal his political direction tomorrow.

Already it is known that he had caught the interest of the newly revived United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) as well as Sarawak National Party (Snap).

It is learnt that Sabah Progressive People Party (SAPP) is also open to engaging with Kitingan.