Madius receiving the membership forms from Justin yesterday.
TUARAN: A total of 513 people from various political parties have joined United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko).
They were from the Solidariti Sabah Tanah Airku (STAR), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), and Barisan Nasional (BN).
Those who enrolled into Upko also included people who were partyless from Kiulu and Tamparuli.
These included the permanent chairman of STAR in Kiulu, Justin Geduik, who announced his departure from the party to join Upko.
Others who have joined Upko are Kiulu committee member who is also JDM Chief for Kampung Kalawat, Anthony Ahoi, Taginambur JDM Chief, Itim Garakan and STAR Women exco, Julianah Ekang.
“We decided to leave STAR because we no longer have confidence in the leadership of the party which is inconsistent in its struggle and objectives,” said Justin, adding that they have also resigned from all the posts they held at STAR.
He said STAR has strayed from its earlier platform and agenda, and are now friends with Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) which have been the nemesis of the party since the 13th General Election.
“When I recall our involvement in the party, we have fought and campaigned for STAR since the 13th General Election to the 14th General Election,” he said.
“Our main struggle agenda then was to defeat the Umno BN regime,” he said, adding that this was also the main agenda of party president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan during those days.
However, after the 14th General Election, the party president threw his support behind Tan Sri Musa Aman which was quite surprising and against what they wanted, he said.
Justin claimed that Jeffrey in the Agenda Borneo book he authored explained that STAR was against the rule of a Malaya party in Sabah.
He alleged that the STAR president has himself said that the entry of Umno into Sabah is the peak to the Kuala Lumpur effort to ensure Sabah bowed down to their power.
And according to Jeffrey, the struggle of STAR is to ensure Sabah is ruled by a local party and no longer tied to the federal government.
“He (Jeffrey) also said that we can make our own decision when Sabah is administered by a local party but what has happened today is the STAR president himself has cooperated with Umno BN which is against our original struggle in supporting STAR before this,” he said.
“Hence, my colleagues and I have decided to leave STAR and we are making our decision without any element of force by any parties,” he said.
He added that they were joining Upko to continue their fight after studying the political development in Sabah.
“We find that Upko is one of the most consistent parties with regards to its struggle…we are confident that our decision to join Upko under the leadership of Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau is the best decision for the continuity of the struggle to defend the rights of the people of Sabah.”
Additionally, he also expressed their support for the Sabah government under the leadership of Warisan Sabah, Pakatan Harapan and Upko.