Will Sabah STAR quit GRS over Pakatan Harapan pact?

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Sabah STAR Will Leave GRS If Electoral Pact With Pakatan Harapan Proceeds

Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has indicated his party's firm intention to withdraw from the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition should GRS proceed with an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan (PH). Kitingan plans to formally raise this contention at the upcoming GRS presidential council meeting, asserting that such an alliance would contravene the prevailing sentiment among voters who favour local parties contesting under the GRS banner independently.
Opposition to PH Seat Allocation

Kitingan has expressed strong reservations regarding the potential seat allocation for Pakatan Harapan within the GRS framework. He had initially proposed that PH should only contest its current seven incumbent seats, utilising the GRS logo. However, he was subsequently informed that PH might be allocated a significantly larger number of seats, ranging from 21 to 23. This expansion of PH's potential electoral footprint within the coalition is a key point of contention for Sabah STAR.
Voter Sentiment and Local Party Preference

The core of Sabah STAR's objection lies in its interpretation of voter sentiment, which Kitingan believes strongly favours local parties campaigning under the GRS banner alone. He argues that forging an electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan would be a direct contradiction of the electorate's wishes, potentially leading to rejection at the polls. Kitingan has stated that he is prepared to lead Sabah STAR independently if the GRS presidential council decides to proceed with the pact, even if it means facing the election without allies.
Allegations of Political Persecution

Beyond the electoral alliance discussions, Kitingan also addressed recent corruption allegations levelled against him. He characterised these accusations as politically motivated persecution, timed specifically to undermine his influence and weaken the GRS coalition. Kitingan asserted that these tactics are designed to silence him and that he will not yield to such pressures, drawing parallels to past attempts to target him using various legal and security measures. He further accused Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of hypocrisy concerning Sabah's constitutional entitlement to 40 per cent of federal revenue.

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Will Sabah STAR quit GRS over Pakatan Harapan pact?

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