TAMBUNAN: More than 3,000 supporters packed Pisompuruan Square on Friday for the launch of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR Sabah)’s election machinery for the 17th Sabah Election (Tambunan), officiated by the party’s president, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey G. Kitingan.
In a surprising turn of events, several senior leaders from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) announced their defection to STAR during the event. The trio — David Benedict, PBS Tambunan Division Vice-President I; Laiwon Dalus, Tambunan Division Secretary; and Hairin Tayob, Division Committee Member — cited their desire for genuine political change in Sabah as the driving factor behind their decision to join Star.
“We are not against anyone, but we want change. We believe Star’s fight is for the people of Sabah, not for personal gain,” said David Benedict after the event. He hinted that more PBS members might follow suit soon, marking a new political awakening in the state.
In his speech, Dr Jeffrey emphasised that Star’s decision to leave Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was not due to animosity, but because the party believes Sabah should stand on its own and manage its resources independently.
Advertisement
