Past mistakes made Sabah depend on ‘outsiders’, says Kitingan

 

GRS deputy president Jeffrey Kitingan (second from right) says local leaders are capable of managing Sabah on their own. (JKM pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Mistakes in the past left Sabah dependent on “outsiders” and “invisible hands”, says Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy president Jeffrey Kitingan.

Kitingan, the president of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), said state leaders were capable of managing Sabah themselves without banking their hopes on these “outsiders”. He was believed to be referring to political parties from the peninsula.

“Sabah leaders need to learn from these past mistakes that caused us to be overly dependent on these ‘outsiders’ and ‘invisible hands’, leaving Sabah the poorest and most unsafe state.

“We no longer want our fate and future to be decided by ‘outsiders’ over there. We can be independent and manage our own house,” he said at the launch of the GRS coalition today.

Meanwhile, United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) president Pandikar Amin Mulia acknowledged that Usno was a small player in GRS and thanked the coalition for accepting the party into the fold.

Describing Usno as a “super, super small” party, Pandikar assured the other GRS components that his party would not attempt to punch above its weight.

“What is Usno in the eyes of Sabahans without the GRS government’s acknowledgment?”

Also at the launch were Sabah Bersatu chief Hajiji Noor, Parti Bersatu Sabah president Maximus Ongkili and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee. - FMT