Jeffrey Kitingan

Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr.
Jeffrey Kitingan
Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly
for Bingkor
Assumed office
6 May 2013
Preceded by Justin Guka
Personal details
Born (1948-10-22) October 22, 1948
Kota Marudu, Crown Colony of North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia)
Political party State Reform Party
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (formerly)
UPKO (formerly)
AKAR Bersatu (formerly)
PBRS (formerly)
Parti Bersatu Sabah (formerly)
Alma mater Harvard University
Religion Roman Catholic

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan is a politician from the state of Sabah in Malaysia. He was born in the town of Kota Marudu and graduated from Harvard University (John F. Kennedy School of Government).[1] His brother, Tan Sri Datuk Sri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan, is also a politician and a former Chief Minister of Sabah.

Political career

He is known to be a controversial politician, having been detained without trial under the infamous Internal Security Act by the Barisan Nasional-controlled federal government on suspicion of plotting to secede Sabah from the federation of Malaysia, although his defenders argue that his was a politically motivated move.[1][2] He is also known to have switched political parties a number of times, being a former member of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), Parti Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat (AKAR), and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO). In 2003, he applied to join the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) but his application was rejected.[3]

He was a Vice-President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) until his resignation from the position on 28 October 2009. Despite speculation that he might leave the political party,[4] his aides have maintained that he will remain as a member.[5] In 2010, Jeffrey founded a NGO named "United Borneo Alliance", which aimed to strive the rights of Sabah and Sarawak in accordance to 20-point agreement and Malaysia Agreement that contained in 7 Borneo Agenda. [6]

In the 2008 general election, he challenged his brother Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin from Barisan Nasional-Parti Bersatu Sabah at the Keningau parliamentary constituency, but lost. Instead he won the Sabah State Legislative constituency of Bingkor.[7]

He founded the Sabah division for State Reform Party (STAR) on 6th January 2012 and become the Sabah chief for the party.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kennedy School Graduate Held Prisoner", The Harvard Crimson. 10 February 1992.
  2. ↑ "MALAYSIA, Human Rights Undermined: Restrictive Laws in a Parliamentary Democracy", Amnesty International. Accessed 20 March 2007.
  3. ↑ "Why Jeffrey Kitingan is rejected as an UMNO member", MGG Pillai Journalism and Commentaries. 9 June 2003.
  4. ↑ "NST Online Dr Jeffrey quits as PKR V-P, may return to PBS". The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad. 28 October 2009. Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Dr Jeffrey Kitingan quits as PKR V-P but remains party member". Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad. 28 October 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  6. ↑ Jeffrey Kitingan forms United Borneo Front to get more for Sabah, Sarawak The Star (Malaysia). URL assessed on 27 April 2012
  7. ↑ Malaysia elections: Opposition wave fails to win Sabah The Star/Asia News Network (6th May 2013)]. URL assessed on 13th Jan 2016

Further reading

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