Jeffrey not part of Sabah's ruling alliance for now, says DCM

 

Jeffrey Kitingan is not part of Sabah’s ruling alliance for now, Deputy Chief Minister Joachim Gunsalam confirmed, after Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) was left out of the cabinet line-up unveiled at Istana Seri Kinabalu today.

Joachim (above) made the government’s position clear when asked whether Star, which won two seats in the recently concluded 17th Sabah election, would join the new administration.

“For now, this is the government,” he said, adding that discussions with Jeffrey’s camp are still ongoing.

Joachim’s comments came shortly after Chief Minister Hajiji Noor’s new cabinet was sworn in, but he skipped the post-ceremony press conference due to a minor health issue, leaving Joachim to read a prepared statement on his behalf.

In that statement, Hajiji described the new cabinet as a “strong and capable team”, saying he was confident each minister had the experience to lead their portfolios and deliver under the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 development plan.

“The responsibility is immense. Serve every Sabahan with dedication and integrity,” the statement read.

Spat over Harapan support

The situation marks a notable shift for Jeffrey, who previously served as deputy chief minister and led the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Ministry.

Jeffrey Kitingan

Star’s two elected representatives were not offered positions in the new arrangement, though the door to negotiations remains open.

The party retained Tambunan and Bingkor in the recently concluded state election.

Jeffrey quit GRS before the election due to disagreements over the coalition’s partnership with Pakatan Harapan.

After the election, Jeffrey pledged the party’s two assemblypersons to Hajiji, citing the need for stability. - Mkini