STAR, USNO SIGN DECLARATION

By : RAYMOND TOMBUNG

IN A STEP towards sealing the first solid pact for the United Borneo Alliance, Datu Badaruddin Tun Mustapha, the Chairman of USNO and Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, the Chairman of STAR Sabah, created history here by signing the Semporna Declaration here on January 29.

Jeffrey said the Semporna Declaration is an important step as an instrument of political co-operation because it sealed a political unity between the two largest Bumiputera groups in Sabah, the KDMs and the Bajaus.

Badaruddin said that the declaration states the two parties desire to co-operate, to continue the pursuit of Sabah rights and autonomy, to unite the Bumiputeras in Sabah, and to ouster Umno from Sabah.

“We have had enough of being victims of Umno’s divide and rule. We can see that the people want change. Ini kalilah!” he said to the excited response of the 3,000-odd crowd which thronged the Sulabayan Hall.

He said that the choice of Semporna for the gathering was simply the fact that the area is considered an Umno stronghold, and he wanted to see the people’s response to USNO and the idea of working with STAR under the United Borneo Agenda.

“Initially we were not sure, but during our walkabout in town, we saw the highly spirited response of the people,” he said. “Clearly they want change. Now we know that the people are feeling again the spirit of USNO and the powerful, unforgettable memory of the leadership of my late father. Now that we have proven our support in Semporna, we are very confident of getting the same support form other areas in Sabah.”

Meanwhile Jeffrey saw the event as very important because it began the co-operation between the KDMs and the Bajaus, between the people of the East Coast and those in the Interiors of Sabah. “While there, we could feel the power of the legacy of the old Sabah just after independence when Sabah was still nurturing dreams of a great future,” he said. “To me it is a perfect combination that encompasses the whole of the Bumiputeras in Sabah.”

He said that there is already an agreement on the sharing of seats between STAR and USNO supporters for the next general election. Ask how USNO will contest when its registration is still pending, Jeffrey said with a smile, “They don’t care! They will simply contest under STAR! So we have no problem about that.”

- Sabahkini