Keeping up with the Kitingans
Five members of eminent family poised to vie for two major Sabah seats
KOTA KINABALU: A political feud among one of Sabah’s most prominent families, the Kitingans, is brewing again in the interior heartland of Keningau.
While it has been brother versus brother in the past, this time a third brother and two brothersinlaw are also poised to vie for the Tambunan state and Keningau parliamentary seats, held for decades by Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Although the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president’s candidacy for the two seats is still the subject of speculation, as he has voiced his intention to retire from politics, two of his politically estranged younger brothers – Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Crispin Kitingan – are likely to go for them.
PBS sources said a reluctant Pairin was being asked by Barisan Nasional to defend both seats because he is the ruling coalition’s best hope of retaining them.
Pairin, the Kadazandusun Huguan Siou or paramount leader, has told reporters that “you will know on nomination day” when asked if he would contest.
If the Deputy Chief Minister sticks to his publicly announced decision to retire, there is a strong chance that his brotherinlaw Daniel Kinsik will be PBS’ choice of candidate in either seat.
PBS deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, a nephew of Pairin, has also hinted that he might want to contest in Tambunan if Pairin retires.
Dr Jeffrey, the president of Opposition party STAR Sabah and Bingkor assemblyman, said he would contest in both seats whether or not Pairin retires.
Dr Jeffrey failed in bids to unseat his broth er from Keningau in 2008 and 2013.
In 2013, Pairin beat back a challenge from STAR’s Nestor Joannes to retain Tambunan with a 2,079vote majority.
The other brother in the fray is the littleknown Crispin, who has joined Parti Warisan Sabah, which is led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Crispin is a possible choice as Warisan’s candidate for the Tambunan area, although sources said a more viable choice for the party is Justin Alip, another brotherinlaw of the Kitingans.
Hinting at both names as possible candidates, Shafie said: “We are in politics not to help our brothers but to help the rakyat. We love our brothers, but they are in Barisan.”
Pairin has held Tambunan since 1976 and Keningau since 1985.