STAR WILL STAY IN OPPOSITION - JEFFREY KITINGAN

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, has firmly stated that his party will not join the state government led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). Instead, STAR will continue to act as a responsible opposition party.

Jeffrey, who won the Tambunan seat in the 17th Sabah State Election reaffirmed STAR's consistent stance, which advocates for the governance of Sabah by local parties.

“We will support policies that protect the interests of Sabah, and we will oppose any actions that undermine the Malaysia Agreement 1963, the Constitution, or the long-standing struggle for Sabah’s rights,” he said in a statement today.

In the 17th Sabah State Election, GRS won 29 out of the 73 contested seats, while Parti Warisan secured 25 seats, Barisan Nasional (six), Independent (five), UPKO (three), and STAR (two). Perikatan Nasional, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, and Pakatan Harapan each won one seat.

Early Sunday morning, GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, was sworn in as the 17th Chief Minister of Sabah. Nine other assemblymen also took their oaths as State Cabinet members before Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman at Istana Seri Kinabalu.

The newly sworn-in Sabah Cabinet consists of eight representatives from GRS namely Hajiji, Datuk Joachim Gunsalam, Datuk Masidi Manjun, Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, Datuk James Ratib, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, Datuk Rubin Balang, and Julita Majungki. Additionally, Datuk Ewon Benedick of UPKO, Datuk Jafry Ariffin (BN), and Jamawi Jaafar (PH).

For the latest news on the 17th Sabah state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php.

-- BERNAMA