KOTA KINABALU, May 27 — Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) Sabah president Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan today stressed that he has never betrayed the struggle of the Sabah people even though his party pledged its support to the formation of Perikatan Nasional (PN).

The Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister said he would always champion the fight to return the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as stated in the Constitution, wherever he goes.

"The allegations (by certain quarters) that I have I betrayed the struggle of the Sabahans is not true.  I carry the fight (to return Sabah’s rights) with me everywhere I go.  As proof, when we established the PN government...PN agreed to set up one new ministry which is the Ministry of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs.

"We think this new ministry is more suitable to ensure the rights of Sabah and Sarawak can be implemented instead of just having a Cabinet committee...because such a committee will only hold discussions which we will never see the end of it.”

He said this to reporters after visiting the Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture office here, today.

Commenting further, Jeffrey said the establishment of the Ministry of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs will ensure the constituted rights of Sabah and Sarawak can be implemented as soon as possible.

"I have also suggested that the Sabah and Sarawak issues should be included in the PN charter and it has been agreed on...so, don’t worry, I am still with my struggle for Sabah and Sarawak.  As a leader, that is what we should do,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, commenting on the working visit, Jeffrey said it was to get a brief on the ministry’s operations in Sabah, so that the plannings at the federal and state level can be streamlined, especially on the state’s tourism industry.

"The tourism sector is in dire straits now because of Covid-19...not only in Sabah but throughout Malaysia and we cannot expect when it will recover. Therefore, we have to come up with ways to make sure the tourism industry in the state doesn’t ‘die’.

"Thus throughout the conditional movement control order maybe we can reopen several sectors of the industry following the Ministry of Health’s standard operating procedures. For example, jungle trekking as well other activities that can be allowed,” he said. — Bernama