KOTA MARUDU: Some 1,443 Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) members in Bandau have left the party and declared their support for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) following the sacking of their division chief, Ardino Diris.
The move came after Star president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan announced Ardino’s removal during a ceramah at the Kota Marudu district field on Tuesday night.
Ardino said he had anticipated the decision due to his continued loyalty to GRS and immediately contacted all 51 branch leaders to clarify the situation once informed of his dismissal.
He said the mass exit reflected grassroots preference for political stability and Sabah’s development agenda over internal party disputes, adding that support for GRS could reach 2,000 voters by polling day.
Ardino, who pledged full cooperation with the GRS machinery, believes the structured support across polling districts will strengthen GRS candidate Datuk Redonah Bahanda’s position in the Bandau race.
