STAR and SAPP Exit GRS: Bold Strategy or Political Gamble for Dr Jeffrey Ahead of Sabah’s PRN17
By DG Henry
KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), Oct 2, 2025 — Sabah’s political landscape ahead of the 17th State Election (PRN17) has taken a dramatic turn as Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) announced their departure from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to contest under their own banners.
STAR’s move in particular underscores the strategy of its president, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who refused to accept the seat allocation formula negotiated between GRS and its federal ally, Pakatan Harapan (PH). For Dr Jeffrey, the decision reflects his long-standing ambition to expand political influence by securing greater control over state assembly seats — a step towards cementing his role as a potential kingmaker in Sabah’s fluid political terrain.
From an international political analysis lens, STAR’s exit can be seen in two ways. On one hand, it allows the party to project a Sabah-centric identity, free from compromises with national coalitions, potentially appealing to voters seeking a stronger local voice.
On the other hand, the move is widely regarded as a high-stakes gamble. Post-2020, Sabah’s electorate has increasingly gravitated towards larger blocs promising stability. By breaking away, STAR risks being sidelined by voters who may view smaller parties as politically irrelevant in the era of coalition dominance.
This decision reflects Dr Jeffrey’s hallmark style — bold, uncompromising, and often controversial. Some analysts frame this as his last major attempt to shape a political legacy, particularly by demanding more seats than GRS was prepared to concede.
Yet if STAR fails to secure meaningful results in PRN17, the decision could prove to be a decisive miscalculation. It could mark the decline of STAR as a political force in Sabah and raise questions over Dr Jeffrey’s long-term political survival and legacy.
GRS Chairman and Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, reiterated that unity requires all component parties to contest under a single coalition symbol. The GRS Presidential Council ruled that any party contesting under its own banner would automatically forfeit membership in the coalition.
Other GRS partners — including Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), USNO, LDP, Harapan Rakyat, and PCS — chose to remain within the bloc, reinforcing their strategic partnership with PH. This move signals their preference for coalition stability ahead of what is expected to be a fiercely contested state election.
The STAR and SAPP exits highlight a recurring dilemma in Sabah’s politics: balancing local party autonomy with the practical need to align under larger coalition umbrellas.
For STAR, contesting solo could create new political opportunities if the party manages to capture grassroots sentiment. Yet it also risks accelerating STAR’s decline should voters prioritize stability and reject fragmented political representation.
In the broader international context, STAR’s move underscores the fragile nature of political consensus in Sabah — where the personal ambitions of a single leader can disrupt the entire ecosystem of state politics.
PRN17 is now set to be more complex, with multi-cornered fights, shifting ethnic vote dynamics, and heightened uncertainty over Sabah’s political direction. For Dr Jeffrey, the gamble may either cement his political ambitions or spell the beginning of the end for STAR in Sabah’s volatile political stage.
