The weird case of STAR in Sabah

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has appointed Bingkor state assemblyman Datuk Mohd Ishak Ayub of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) as Assistant Minister in the state cabinet.

Ishak is also Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman’s nephew.

STAR president and Tambunan state assemblyman Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan however has declared that STAR would be in the opposition bloc of the Sabah state assembly.

This makes a weird case of one party being a member of both the ruling government and the opposition.

Commenting on this matter, Professor James Chin of Tasmania University said that Jeffrey’s main point of discontent is that he wants to be reappointed.

In the previous government under Hajiji, Jeffrey was Deputy Chief Minister I and State Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries.

“One has to wait for a few more days before the picture becomes clearer.

“Basically he (Jeffrey) was not appointed because Hajiji is pissed off that he left the coalition because he left the coalition,” Chin said.

Jeffrey had led his party out of GRS, riding on the Sabah First sentiments.