Bersekutu dissolved, new party launched for Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: A new political party, the Sabah People’s Front Party (SPF), has been set up here.

Its president, Berman Angkap, who held a media conference upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur today, asserted his party’s stance as an opposition party but said they had no plans as yet to work with other opposition parties in the State.

However, he appeared open to the idea saying, “what is important is that their ideology is similar to ours”.

Berman also announced the dissolution of Parti Barisan Rakyat Sabah Bersekutu (Bersekutu) which he had helmed and which had been around for about 20 years despite being regarded as a “mosquito party”.

He said SPF, which was formally registered by the Registrar of Society (ROS) on Dec 8, was formed to fulfill the wishes of Sabahans who wanted to have the State’s rights restored.

Dr Jeffrey set to quit PKR Thursday, December 16 ?

By Ezra Haganez
Kota Kinabalu, SABAH: Sabah PKR strongman, Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is expected to quit PKR this Thursday, December 16, 2010 !

His supporters said the announcement is expected to be made at his scheduled press conference at Dowish Restaurant in front of the famous KDCA-owned Hongkod Koisaan building in Penampang.

The auspicious December 16 is the last day of Jeffrey's two-month leave. The date was also chosen, according to supporters, because it coincides with the Boston Tea Party revolt against colonialism power in USA long time ago.

An aide of Jeffrey, Philip Among, said his boss is holding the press conference "to explain his political destiny and the future of his struggle" and also "to announce the setting up of a movement".

Philip, who quit PKR weeks ago, is facilitating the press conference, where scores of Jeffrey's ardent supporters are expected to turn up.

Jeffrey has been tight-lipped on his plan. And so are his lieutenants Danial John Jambun and Mozes Michael Iking. Both Daniel and Mozes, are still under suspension in PKR for their involvement in the attempt to register a PKR-breakaway Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) last year.

There had been talks also going round that he may lead a political party and work with a Sarawak-based party and AKIM, the peninsular-based party to be headed by Zaid.

Students fed with 'skewed' history, say textbook writers

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian students are being fed with a skewed version of our history, said two academicians who are contributors to history text books.

In a report by free morning paperThe Sun, Ranjit Singh Malhi and Ng How Kuen said history books were contaminated with factual errors and distortion to promote political interests.

Ranjit, author of secondary school history textbooks since 1990 and adviser to the Ministry of Education, claimed he had been labelled "anti national" for pointing out to officials about errors and distortions in the textbooks.

Freeze on native certificate: Govt flouting the law

By Charlie Rudai

KOTA KINABALU: The state government must lift the freeze on the issuance of native certificate as it is an infringement of the constitution and a burden to Sino-natives in Sabah.

VK Liew, the deputy minister in the PM’s department, said the constitution clearly states that a 'native' is a citizen if one is the child or grandchild of a person of a race indigenous to Sabah and born either in Sabah or to a father domiciled in Sabah at time of birth.

"It is a constitutional right of those who into this category. Such right cannot be denied because to do so is unconstitutional," he said, after officiating the Liberal Democratic Party's(LDP) 1Malaysia 1Hope Christmas celebration near here over the weekend.

Since the freeze on native certificate, which was to used to validate their status, Sino-natives in Sabah have been facing problems such as transferring properties to their children who do not possess the Native Certificate, said Liew who is LDP president.

Ansari, Thamrin in race to be Sabah PKR chief

By Luke Rintod of FMT
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR has again split into two camps over who will lead the opposition party in the state. The battle this time is between incumbent Ahmad Thamrin Jaini and lawyer Ansari Abdullah.

It appears that Dr Jeffrey Kitingan is no more in the picture either by design or default but supporters of the wily politician are backing Thamrin for the post of state PKR chief.

When the state liaison committee met here for the first time last night after the party congress last month, Jeffrey was not even mentioned by divisional heads aligned to him, to be considered for the post .

A divisional head who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the majority of the 23 (out of 25) divisions represented, wanted incumbent Ahmad Thamrin Jaini to be retained.