Media statement by Mohd Guntur Sangkar,
KOTA KINABALU: I refer to the media statement issued by STAR Sabah Information Chief, Anuar Ghani, regarding PKR’s intention to contest 13 seats in the upcoming 17th Sabah State Election (PRN17).
Firstly, it must be clarified that the proposed 13 seats by PKR Sabah is not a unilateral decision made by the party leadership at the national level. The list was a result of ongoing discussions between PKR Sabah and our partners in Barisan Nasional (BN) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). It was shaped based on a spirit of mature political cooperation, without sidelining the role of local parties.
PKR Sabah is not merely a ‘branch’ that blindly follows central directives. Since its inception, PKR Sabah has been built through close collaboration between local activists and national leadership, making it a truly rooted national party in Sabah.
In fact, PKR is the only national party that has formally enshrined the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in its party constitution, a clear commitment to the rights and autonomy of Sabah.
STAR Sabah, on the other hand, should reflect on its own record before labelling others as “political outsiders”. STAR once aligned itself with Perikatan Nasional, a coalition that had openly weakened Sabah’s position in MA63 negotiations and failed to deliver on many development promises.
The reality is, PKR Sabah has remained consistent in its fight for reform and justice for the people of Sabah, while STAR continues to shift its stance according to political convenience. What Sabah needs is stability and principle, not opportunism.
