WARISAN declined the invitation made by the President of STAR, Datuk Seri Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan to join Perikatan Nasional (PN) saying that the comment made by the Deputy Chief Minister as ‘humorous’.
The Treasurer General of Warisan, Terrence Siambun said that Kitingan conveniently forgot to invite PBS to formally join Perikataan Nasional (PN) and yet, he (Kitingan) invited Warisan instead.
“Could it be the case that PBS, just like Warisan, had also rejected Jeffrey’s overtures for PBS to officially join PN?” he said in a statement today.
Siambun also said that Kitingan should realize that Shafie Apdal’s reply on his preference to work with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was merely a respond to a question made by a journalist on whether there had been any discussion with other parties on working together with Warisan.
“Datuk Seri Shafie’s preference to work with PBS were that it shares similar struggles for Sabahans as Warisan and that its President (Ongkili) is a long time personal friend of Shafie and had been a consistent advocate on Sabah’s rights as well.
PBS is also a state-based party that had been consistent throughout these years since its formation and having had been a victim of leap-frogging (the fall of PBS Government after the State General Elections in 1994),” he explained it.
He also said that the unique position held by PBS in the Government allows it to determine the course and direction of the party without having being dictated by others.
“It is also worthy to note that PBS is not a formal component member of BN or PN but only supports the Government of the Day and whose support we are certain is contingent upon ensuring the Malaysia Agreement 1963 are wholly implemented and that Sabahans are given their rightful place in the Federation.
This could well be the reason why PBS President Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili was given the task to helm the Ministry of Sabah & Sarawak Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department,” he said.
Siambun also said that Warisan do not wish to be associated with PAS in PN that had rejected the Bill to amend the Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution l.
“Jeffrey whose STAR party is a formal member of PN also work closely with PAS which is the party that had outrightly rejected the Government’s Bill initiated by Warisan’s Batu Sapi Member of Parliamen to Batu Sapi, the Late Datuk Liew Vui Keong (VK Liew) to Amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to *reinstate Sabah and Sarawak to its original definition prior to the 1976 Federal Constitutional amendment.*
Perhaps Jeffrey should also clarify his position once more on why he is willing to work with PAS whose party (which now has a Nominated State Assemblyman in Sabah) had outrightly rejects the reinstatement of Sabah and Sarawak as an equal partner of the Federation and its original spirit and definition prior to the amendment in 1976,” he said.
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