KOTA KINABALU, Dec 5 — Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has reiterated his party’s intention to leave Perikatan Nasional (PN), saying an official announcement will be made soon.

Kitingan previously said STAR and the national coalition were "going in separate directions”, after giving his party supported Pakatan Harapan to form a unity government under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah local alliance, but stopped short of saying it has officially quit.

"Yes. Just wait for the announcement,” he was quoted saying by Astro Awani when asked whether STAR has left the coalition.

"If I am headed this way, and you’re heading that way, that means we are no longer going together,” he added.

Kitingan was speaking after officiating the Institut Pertanian Sabah (IPS) Timbang Menggaris graduation ceremony here today.

The announcement would mean an end to a 26-month union following the Sabah election in September 2020.

The party had joined PN in 2020, and later formed another local coalition GRS that became official earlier this year.

STAR, along with the Sabah branch of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Sabah Progressive Party, are in both PN and GRS.

After the 15th general election (GE15), GRS had initially supported PN to form government but later changed its minds and decided to support the PH unity government.

GRS chairman Datuk Hajiji Noor had also hinted that its alliance with the national opposition coalition may be strained but has yet to made an official statement.