Sabah-based STAR to leave PN

Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) has voiced its intention to leave Perikatan Nasional (PN) with an official announcement about the matter to follow shortly, its president Jeffrey Kitingan says.

The Sabah deputy chief minister said the move was made as STAR, which supports a unity goverment, is not aligned with PN.

"Yes (we are leaving PN), let’s wait for the announcement because if you go in this direction and I go in that direction, that means we’re not aligned," he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

On Nov 26, Kitingan said STAR had taken the same stand as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in supporting a unity government.

As such, he said that PN was now on a different track from STAR and that only time would determine the party’s position in the coalition.

He also said he wanted to wait until the political situation calmed down before making the next move.

GRS, comprising Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), is cooperating with Barisan Nasional, which is made up of Umno, MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), to administer Sabah.