Latest news with #PartiSolidaritiTanahAirku
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kitingan questions Ambalat deal: Was Sabah consulted on joint development plan with Indonesia?
KOTA KINABALU, July 1 — Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent statement in Indonesia, agreeing to jointly develop the disputed Ambalat maritime region near Sabah's maritime borders. Kitingan, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president, said that it would be an insult if the announcement was made without prior consultation with the state government. 'I am disappointed to know this is happening, too. Ambalat has always been considered part of Sabah's territorial waters. 'If this decision was truly made without consulting Sabah, then it is not good. It's another way of bypassing Sabah's rights. And we need an explanation,' he said. Kitingan said he would be seeking clarification formally and will consider bringing the matter up in Parliament. 'We are on our way toward finding out, from now until next month. Let's see what explanation is given first,' he said. It was reported that Anwar said Malaysia and Indonesia should go ahead to jointly develop the disputed oil-rich Ambalat area off the east coast of Sabah without waiting to solve legal and regulatory obstacles. 'If we wait for everything to be finalised, it could take decades,' he was quoted saying after talks with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto. Malaysia and Indonesia have overlapping territorial claims on the 15,000 sq km Ambalat sea block, which is believed to hold significant crude oil reserves. In 2023, deputy foreign affairs minister Mohamad Alamin said discussions about the Sulawesi Sea Treaty signed by Malaysia and Indonesia in June 2023 would not be held publicly to safeguard the sensitivity of the matter. Sabah has been fighting hard to regain the continental shelf and territorial maritime area, one of the issues to be discussed as part of the state's rights in the Malaysian Agreement 1963. Previously, Kitingan had said that under the Land Ordinance (Sabah Cap.68), submerged land, including the seabed up to the continental shelf, falls under Sabah's jurisdiction. Land is a state matter under the State List in the 9th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which includes land tenure, permits, and licences for mining activities. Therefore, he said Sabah's rights to manage and utilise its continental shelf, including the ownership and management of oil and gas resources, should be indisputable. In August 2023, chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had said that Sabah remains firm in rejecting Indonesia's claim over the sovereignty of the Ambalat area in the Sulawesi Sea. He said the state government will continue to defend Ambalat, which is known to be rich in oil and gas resources, as part of Sabah and Malaysia's territory.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Kitingan questions Ambalat deal: Was Sabah consulted on joint development plan with Indonesia?
KOTA KINABALU, July 1 — Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent statement in Indonesia, agreeing to jointly develop the disputed Ambalat maritime region near Sabah's maritime borders. Kitingan, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president, said that it would be an insult if the announcement was made without prior consultation with the state government. 'I am disappointed to know this is happening, too. Ambalat has always been considered part of Sabah's territorial waters. 'If this decision was truly made without consulting Sabah, then it is not good. It's another way of bypassing Sabah's rights. And we need an explanation,' he said. Kitingan said he would be seeking clarification formally and will consider bringing the matter up in Parliament. 'We are on our way toward finding out, from now until next month. Let's see what explanation is given first,' he said. It was reported that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia and Indonesia should go ahead to jointly develop the disputed oil-rich Ambalat area off the east coast of Sabah without waiting to solve legal and regulatory obstacles. 'If we wait for everything to be finalised, it could take decades,' he was quoted saying after talks with Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto. Malaysia and Indonesia have overlapping territorial claims on the 15,000 sq km Ambalat sea block, which is believed to hold significant crude oil reserves. In 2023, deputy foreign affairs minister Mohamad Alamin said discussions about the Sulawesi Sea Treaty signed by Malaysia and Indonesia in June 2023 would not be held publicly to safeguard the sensitivity of the matter. Sabah has been fighting hard to regain the continental shelf and territorial maritime area, one of the issues to be discussed as part of the state's rights in the Malaysian Agreement 1963. Previously, Kitingan had said that under the Land Ordinance (Sabah Cap.68), submerged land, including the seabed up to the continental shelf, falls under Sabah's jurisdiction. Land is a state matter under the State List in the 9th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which includes land tenure, permits, and licences for mining activities. Therefore, he said Sabah's rights to manage and utilise its continental shelf, including the ownership and management of oil and gas resources, should be indisputable. In August 2023, chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had said that Sabah remains firm in rejecting Indonesia's claim over the sovereignty of the Ambalat area in the Sulawesi Sea. He said the state government will continue to defend Ambalat, which is known to be rich in oil and gas resources, as part of Sabah and Malaysia's territory.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Jeffrey Kitingan blames ‘hidden hands' for Sabah mining scandal fallout
KOTA KINABALU, July 1 — Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, one of the latest figures linked to an alleged mining scandal, has claimed that videos implicating him are the work of 'hidden hands' seeking to weaken and destabilise the local ruling coalition. The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president denied any wrongdoing and questioned the timing and motives behind the scandal, which has led to charges against two state assemblymen over corruption involving mining licences. 'We see that there is a hidden hand moving around and planning all this behind the scenes,' he said. When asked whether he knew who was behind the videos or who had taken them, Kitingan said he did not know. 'Your guess is as good as mine. Those who have interest in destroying the government and taking over. This is not new. It has been happening for 10 years. The same game is being played. I am no longer surprised,' he said. The Keningau MP and Tambunan assemblyman described the scandal as a form of targeted political entrapment, noting that the videos have been released in waves, possibly as punishment 'when we don't bow to them or whatever'. 'I have no idea who took the footage, but it all looks pre-planned to take us down. It's like an entrapment,' he said. He said the party would lodge a police report and consider its next steps. Asked whether he knew Albert Tei, the businessman at the centre of the scandal who was charged in court yesterday for offering bribes to two assemblymen, Kitingan admitted to meeting Tei around the time the video was taken. 'We have met before. That's how we came to know him — when he was going around meeting businessmen. Based on the date of the meeting, I think it coincided with a parliamentary pre-council in Kuala Lumpur,' he said. Kitingan said he had previously met with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during the initial round of investigations, but has not heard from them since new videos surfaced late last Saturday. 'We went to the MACC office and gave an explanation already. After that, we never heard from them. So we assumed it had nothing to do with us — until suddenly this came out. We were shocked,' he said. On Sunday, Kitingan denied claims that he received RM1.78 million linked to the Sabah mining scandal, adding that his party had never applied for any mining licence nor been involved in mining activities. He said the allegations — published by a news portal quoting an unnamed source — were baseless and politically motivated by his critics. The video series has so far implicated some 15 state assemblymen, including high-level Cabinet ministers and a State Assembly speaker. He maintained that his party would not be pressured into making political decisions based on public speculation. 'If anything, it has strengthened our political strategy,' he said.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Jeffrey Kitingan denies involvement in Sabah mining scandal, vows legal action over RM1.78m payout claim
KOTA KINABALU, June 30 — Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has denied claims that he received RM1.78 million linked to a mining scandal in Sabah. He said the allegation, published by a news portal, was baseless and politically motivated by his critics in an attempt to destabilise, smear and topple the current Sabah government, Berita Harian reported today. 'I have never received any funds related to mining applications or any alleged scandal,' he was quoted as saying. He described the allegation as a fabrication by desperate political players trying to interfere with Sabah politics. 'This is a tactic that has been used since the 1960s,' he said. Kitingan, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president, said his party has never applied for any mining licence nor was it involved in any mining activities. He described himself as a supporter of the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA), adding that mining goes against STAR's conservation stance. Kitingan said he and party members are fully cooperating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and have submitted detailed statements to aid its investigations. 'This is the price we pay in our struggle to reclaim Sabah's rights,' he was quoted as saying. Kitingan also claimed that earlier statements by whistleblowers had cleared STAR and Parti Bersatu Sabah of wrongdoing. As such, he said he will take all available legal action over what he described as malicious and false accusations. This includes legal action against the news portal that published the report. 'We expect more false allegations and slander. 'It would not be surprising if certain parties try to exploit this to shift Sabah's political landscape,' he was quoted as saying.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jeffrey Kitingan denies involvement in Sabah mining scandal, vows legal action over RM1.78m payout claim
KOTA KINABALU, June 30 — Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has denied claims that he received RM1.78 million linked to a mining scandal in Sabah. He said the allegation, published by a news portal, was baseless and politically motivated by his critics in an attempt to destabilise, smear and topple the current Sabah government, Berita Harian reported today. 'I have never received any funds related to mining applications or any alleged scandal,' he was quoted as saying. He described the allegation as a fabrication by desperate political players trying to interfere with Sabah politics. 'This is a tactic that has been used since the 1960s,' he said. Kitingan, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president, said his party has never applied for any mining licence nor was it involved in any mining activities. He described himself as a supporter of the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA), adding that mining goes against STAR's conservation stance. Kitingan said he and party members are fully cooperating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and have submitted detailed statements to aid its investigations. 'This is the price we pay in our struggle to reclaim Sabah's rights,' he was quoted as saying. Kitingan also claimed that earlier statements by whistleblowers had cleared STAR and Parti Bersatu Sabah of wrongdoing. As such, he said he will take all available legal action over what he described as malicious and false accusations. This includes legal action against the news portal that published the report. 'We expect more false allegations and slander. 'It would not be surprising if certain parties try to exploit this to shift Sabah's political landscape,' he was quoted as saying.
