KOTA KINABALU, Aug 22 — Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) party will be using the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) logo in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).

Its president, Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, however, declined to comment on the seats the party is going to contest.

"Don’t talk about seats first,” he said during a press conference at Sokid Villa HERE on Monday.

GRS led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor as its chairman, comprises Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), STAR and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Meanwhile, Jeffrey who is Deputy Chief Minister cum Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, said the GRS government encourages the participation of indigenous people in commerce, particularly in food production.

He said that Sabah’s indigenous people are mostly into agriculture and are farmers, hence it would be advantageous for them to be involved in the food production industry.

He added that the ministry is organising several forums to encourage the involvement of the indigenous people in food production based on agriculture, including introducing them to low interest financial aids.

He also said that monetary business assistance from Bank Negara is channeled via the Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC), one of the State’s financial institutions.

Jeffrey also said that his ministry has identified six districts for the setting up of a collection centre for agricultural produce.

The districts are Kundasang, Lahad Datu, Kota Marudu, Beaufort, Keningau and Telupid.

"We’re targeting to set up the collection centre in all districts,” he said.

There are 27 districts in Sabah with five administrative divisions.

With the collection centres in place, farmers can just send their agricultural produce there instead of going to the market, he said.

Jeffrey also said that a special committee looking after the economy of the indigenous people is also needed in Sabah.

"We have the Anak Negeri Affairs which focuses on the adat (tradition), but we have not set up (the special committee overseeing the economy of the indigenous people in Sabah).

"We should have a mechanism to discuss the economy with the native population,” he said.

He added that he will be bringing this matter up during the cabinet meeting.

"This is how the GRS government is trying to empower the indigenous people,” he said.

Earlier, Jeffrey officiated the closing ceremony of the 2022 Sabah-level World Indigenous Peoples Day Forum at Sokid Villa.

He explained that the event was a reminder of the rights of the world indigenous peoples under the United Nations Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

He added that the indigenous people of Sabah should take the opportunity to strengthen their unity with other indigenous people.

He also mentioned that Malaysia is a signatory to the declaration and hence, the indigenous communities (in the country) should benefit from it.

Jeffrey read some of the Articles in the Declaration — the Second Article which states that the indigenous people should be free from discrimination, and they are free to decide their own fate and have the autonomy to implement their rights.

"With regards to the rights of the indigenous people on their ancestral land, they cannot be forced out of it,” he explained.

He also added all the ministers in the present GRS government were natives and indigenous people. — Borneo Post