Kota Kinabalu: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) President Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said his party hopes to double its participation in the coming Sabah election, based on its strong showing in the previous polls when it won six out of eight seats.
“We have the highest performance among all the components. So, we deserve at least to double that,” he said, at the HyperLive Impact Influencer Festival and Awards 2025, Sunday.
Star has plans regarding the number of seats it intends to contest though the final distribution is subject to discussions with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition partners.
On the postponed GRS meeting that was expected to discuss seat distribution in February, Jeffrey said no new date has been confirmed.
“We want the meeting to be fruitful and to reach some kind of conclusion rather than a forum for just chatting,” he said, adding Star plans to defend all its current seats.
He indicated that Star would be fielding new faces, including women, as part of its strategy.
For the record, GRS comprises eight component parties, namely the dominant Parti Gagasan Rakyat with 26 assemblymen, Parti Bersatu Sabah with seven assemblymen, Parti Solidarity Tanah Airku with six, Sabah Progressive Party (nominated) and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah with one each.
Liberal Democratic Party, United Sabah National Organisation and Parti Cinta Sabah, do not have any assemblymen.
Meanwhile, the HyperLive Impact Influencer Festival and Awards 2025 brought together influential figures from across Asia to celebrate digital empowerment and cross-cultural collaboration while featuring Sabah’s potential as an international destination.
“It is a privilege for me to be here to celebrate the power of influence, resilience and the limitless potential within all of us,” Jeffrey said, adding that the event is a reminder that true influence is not about fame but how you use that fame to create positive changes.
He commended event organiser Dr Sean Wong for the commitment to promoting Sabah’s tourism and attracting renowned influencers from China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.
Jeffrey also noted that Sean had faced hurdles in organising the event which came together in just three days due to delays in approval processes.
“Today I would like to offer my support, a network with me to make sure that the next event will be fast and timely,” he said, extending to ensure future events would not face similar bureaucratic bottlenecks.
The festival featured a performance by four world-class artistic pianists with autism, their first appearance in Malaysia.
“This is a testament to the power of resilience, the belief in human potential and the importance of inclusivity,” Jeffrey said, urging society to support autism awareness and create opportunities for individuals of all abilities.
He also spoke about his recent travels and the potential learning opportunities from neighbouring countries, noting that Sabah has a lot to learn from Vietnam, while acknowledging Singapore’s achievements as a global player in a tiny island country.
He admitted that despite Sabah’s strategic geographical position, the State remains behind in terms of connectivity.
“I understand that we are almost isolated, in terms of connectivity, we are still far behind,” he said while pointing out the importance of events like the festival in putting Sabah on the map.
“We have a lot of talents here, so Sean’s efforts are worth supporting to ensure that those talents come out and are known to the world. Let us continue to support each other, inspire change and collaborate to make Sabah a global hub for culture, talent and opportunity,” he said.
