Is Jeffrey ‘behind’ Parti Cinta Sabah?

Sabah Star chief Jeffrey Kitingan and Dr Nicholas Guntabon, Parti Cinta Sabah president were once colleagues in PKR and rumours are rife that the former was is again going to "jump".

KENINGAU : The protem president of newly-registered Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), Dr Nicholas James Guntobon has denied rumours and alleged reports that State Reform Party (Star) Sabah chief Jeffrey Kitingan had joined his party.

“This is news to me. I was surprised by the (Jeffrey’s) statement as I personally have not met Jeffrey as yet (ever since PCS was registered),” he told FMT when contacted.

He was responding to a report by online news portal BorneoInsider that Kitingan was abandoning Sarawak-based Star for PCS.

The portal quoted Kitingan as allegedly saying: “I will be talking to Star officials about the development and will leave it to the protem committee to handle the changes”.

He also reportedly indictated he was ‘behind’ the PCS registration.

Kitingan and Dr Guntabon were once colleagues in PKR. But years ago Guntabon along with 12 others had flouted PKR rules by trying to register a new party – PCS.

Although the group withdrew PCS’ application to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) following a ‘peace plan’ with PKR, the 12 were eventually suspended and Kitingan distanced himself from the group saying he was not part of the bid for a new party.

Dr Guntobon and few others however went ahead and re-lodged PCS’ application and finally got it approved in a swift about-turn by ROS. It was one of the 20 new political parties that ROS recently approve.

Dr Guntobon, who operates his private clinic here, explained that PCS currently only has the 13 original protem committee as members.

“PCS would convene a meeting at the end of this month,” he said.

Mixed views

He also mentioned PCS is looking up several leaders as potential advisors to the party, indicating the willingness of young leaders to lead the party.

Those who claimed to be in the know said PCS protem committee looks set to examine the Kitingan option as PCS also subscribed to the Borneo agenda.

They also claimed that PCS would be an outright opposition political party to Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, both Peninsular-based.

“If there is an opportunity, PCS I think would work with Pakatan rather than the Umno-led BN,” claimed one PCS leader..

They also claimed that PCS protem secretary-general Mozes Iking is in communication with Kitingan, but that some in their group are not too happy to see Kitingan as PCS president.

Meanwhile rumours are rife, especially in the interior, that Kitingan would lead PCS before the end of this year and that his pro-Borneonisation leaders from Star would flock to the new party.