‘Brace for surge in unverified graft claims ahead of polls'
The Sabah Star president said that with the state election approaching, it is unsurprising that certain groups or parties are attempting to exploit these issues in the hope of altering the political landscape in Sabah.
As one of those recently accused of involvement in the scandal, Kitingan stated that he would not hesitate to pursue legal action against anyone disseminating false information, including the online news portal that published the allegations.
'From the start of this scandal, the whistleblower had himself cleared PBS and Sabah Star from being involved,' he said.
An online news portal reported that Kitingan received RM1.78mil from mining activities, a claim that he has denied.
In emphasising that neither he nor his party is involved in this scandal, he called on authorities, particularly the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
'As a strong supporter of the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA), I must stress that mining is not in line with the conservation agenda,' Kitingan said.
He added that attempts to destabilise the state government had been taking various forms since the 1960s.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
Sabah DAP confident of winning 8 seats
Published on: Wednesday, August 13, 2025 Published on: Wed, Aug 13, 2025 By: Lagatah Toyos Text Size: Chan was the first DAP assemblyman to win the then-government's (BN-PBS) traditional seat of Sri Tanjong. TAWAU: Sabah DAP Deputy Chairman Datuk Chan Foong Hin is confident it can win at least eight seats in the 17th State Election (PRN17) if given the space and opportunity. He said besides being determined to defend its six current seats, the party is also aiming to recapture Sri Tanjong and Elopura, whose representatives left to join Warisan, with an overall target of between eight and 10 seats. However, he added, this would depend on the party's strategy as seat negotiations and candidate selection have yet to be finalised. The DAP National Policy Director also confirmed he would not be contesting in PRN17, saying he wanted to focus on his duties as Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament and as a Deputy Minister at the Federal level. Moreover, Chan said, Tawau DAP had younger, capable leaders ready to be promoted. 'DAP has always had a team of new-generation leaders. I am already considered part of the veteran generation in Sabah and I will not be holding two seats at once. We (must) be fair,' he said. Chan was the first DAP assemblyman to win the then-government's (BN-PBS) traditional seat of Sri Tanjong. Responding to a question, he described speculation that the State Election would be held on Sept 7, following the Prime Minister's visit to the State, as rumours. 'I don't even know the PM's schedule, let alone when the Sabah Chief Minister might get the idea to dissolve (the Assembly). Whatever will come, will come. If they want to dissolve, just dissolve,' he said. On reports that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was seeking 50 seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) wanted 23 seats, Chan stressed that the seat allocation negotiations were still ongoing and have yet to be finalised. 'Sometimes it's said PH will contest 25 seats, sometimes 23. I don't know myself. There's no need to chase numbers because the negotiations are not yet complete,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Daily Express
3 days ago
- Daily Express
Jeffrey calls for speedy Star-PBS merger
Published on: Tuesday, August 12, 2025 Published on: Tue, Aug 12, 2025 By: Gerry Lewis Text Size: The meeting, chaired by Datuk William Majimbon (pic), was officiated by Huguan Siou and PBS founder Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. TAMBUNAN: The Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) strategy for the upcoming State Election and the proposed merger with Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) took centre stage at the 40th PBS Tambunan Annual General Meeting here. Organising chairman Dr Rockey Jerome Budin, in his welcoming remarks, stressed the importance of factoring in the views of the younger generation when shaping political strategies. Advertisement He noted that 55 per cent of the roughly 28,000 registered voters in Tambunan are youths. 'We must take their sentiments seriously as they will influence the outcome of the coming PRN,' he said. The meeting, chaired by Datuk William Majimbon, was officiated by Huguan Siou and PBS founder Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan. Also present were PBS Central Vice Presidents and Supreme Council members, Star Central leadership, and 500 delegates from the Youth, Women and Main wings representing 50 branches. PBS Tambunan Division Chief Datuk Dr Daniel Kinsik reminded the party machinery to be fully prepared for the polls. He also highlighted grassroots sentiment favouring Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) contesting solo under the slogan 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga', despite the GRS–Pakatan Harapan (PH) cooperation agreed upon by top leaders. Star President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also Tambunan Assemblyman and Keningau MP, said the GRS–PH pact would only be formalised if conditions, particularly seat allocations, were agreed upon. He also urged for the Star–PBS merger to be expedited to avoid vote splitting and to strengthen Sabah Bumiputera politics. 'It is time for us to unite under a stronger roof for long-term political stability,' Jeffrey said. This year's conference was seen as a key platform to review the party's performance and map out strategies to face current political challenges. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Don't let minor issues affect our unity, Sabahans urged
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans have been urged to prevent minor and isolated disputes, especially those involving race and religion, from undermining unity in the state and country. Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said that although Sabah does not have major issues related to race and religion, occasional arguments arise. 'These small incidents can affect the harmony of our multicultural and diverse community,' he said when launching the district-level Kembara Merdeka Jalur Gemilang (KMJG) in Tambunan on Sunday (Aug 10). 'We cannot let these incidents (go unchecked... because, if) accumulated and unresolved, they could result in an unhealthy situation and become a more serious matter,' he said. Kitingan said efforts to preserve and protect the peace and unity in the state have to continue consistently, along with initiatives to boost patriotism. He said the people must work hard to ensure that the peace and harmony we currently enjoy are preserved and protected for the sake of economic and social development. He said unity is the core element that keeps this country going strong. 'Therefore, we must work harder and together to keep what we have, so that we can achieve objectives, plans and policies meant for the nation and its people,' he added. He said programmes such as KMJG are important to spread awareness of the need to stay united and work as a team to achieve greater success. The KMJG, which started officially on Aug 1, involves a convoy of 20 government and private agencies travelling 2,500km across the state, stopping at 75 checkpoints along the route.
