PKR headquarters is working overtime to put together the full line-up for its troubled Sabah chapter which now appears to be sailing into calmer waters.

This follows a partial line-up announced last night. It appears that the party wants to shed baggage, as it enters the new year.

NONE Newly-redesignated vice-president for Sabah and Sarawak, Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan, declined to dwell on the line-up “until things have been firmed up at the party headquarters”.

“The full list should be out soon. Many have to be consulted and those proposed are required to give their consent first before (their names) can be made public,” he said.

Jeffrey is likely to exercise considerable influence over how the rest of the line-up will shape up, but said the final list will reply on the “wisdom” of de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Asked if he has accepted his new position as vice-president (Sabah/Sarawak), Jeffrey stressed that the question of accepting or turning down the appointment does not arise.

“My resignation as vice-president was not accepted. So, I remain vice-president and continue with my work in Sarawak as well.”

He welcomed the return of Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew Chin Jin Hadikusumo to the mainstream as deputy state chief. She too had resigned in a huff along with Jeffrey from the National Political Bureau.

Jeffrey finds himself in a “new role” which in fact combines two posts he held - as vice-president and an ad hoc special representative on Sarawak. In the latter role, he has worked closely with Anwar.

The full line-up is expected to be announced around Christmas. Compromise seems to be the order of the day after a bruising few months marked by name-calling, public tantrums, resignations and the rise of an ad hoc apolitical movement.

black 14 questioning 160408 azmin ali Ranau division chief Jonathan Yassin is likely to be retained as information head. He was appointed by Azmin Ali (right) , who was himself removed as Sabah chief after a rebellion by the majority of the division chiefs.

Tawau division chief Kong Hong Ming and expelled Umno leader John Ghani will be retained as vice-chiefs. They are joined by Kimanis division chief Awang Tengah who was the third state chief and whose unceremonious removal by Anwar opened trouble for the chapter.

Potential appointees

Senior PKR activist Moses Iking is clear favourite to become the new state secretary, to replace former Jeffrey loyalist and Libaran division chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini who remains state chief until elections next year.

suhakam roundtable kk sabah 020806 dr chong eng leong Among the names tipped for the treasurer’s post is anti-illegal immigration activist and general surgeon Dr Chong Eng Leong (left) .

The post of director of communication, not listed in the party constitution, is a toss between Dusun activist Raymond Tombong and lawyer Alex Kiob.

The losing contender may be pacified with membership in the 15-member joint Sabah/Sarawak Political Bureau headed by Jeffrey.

The bureau is not mentioned in the party constitution and it is not certain how it will operate. An amendment may be in the works.

Tombung confirmed that he has been approached to be director of communications and “is seriously considering the offer”. He declined to say who approached him.

It could not be immediately ascertained whether Kiob has been approached as well. However, if Tombung gives his consent first, it is likely that Kiob is headed in the direction of the bureau.

Kota Kinabalu businessman Ronnie Klassen, an Azmin loyallist, is currently director of communications.

daniel tajem 170609 It is understood that he would have been retained in the post had he not “used the party website and his personal blog to attack senior party leaders and rub up the alternative media the wrong way”.

Among virtual shoo-ins for the Joint Political Bureau are former president of the deregistered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Daniel Tajem anak Miri (right) , former Baram MP Harrison Ngau Laing and blogger John Brian Anthony from Sarawak.

The state will have at least seven members in the bureau including Sarawak PKR head Baru Bian, a lawyer and Orang Ulu land rights activist. The other three Sarawak members are likely to be picked from the Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh and Melanau communities.

In Sabah, Thamrin will automatically become a member of the bureau.

A suitable role would have to be found for former Sabah PKR deputy chief Daniel John Jambun who was recently involved in an attempt to register Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS). It is learnt that the application is under active consideration by the Registrar of Societies.

NONE Former state secretary Kanul Gindol, who is listed in the PCS pro-tem committee, had the last word on PKR in Sabah and Sarawak.

“If Anwar (left) yet again breaks his promise on autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak, he and his PKR will be history in the two states,” warned Kanul, once political secretary to Jeffrey.

“Anwar should not think that he can be a political chameleon with us and get away with it. We will rise as one and boot him out for good if he harbours evil designs against us.”

Former Sepanggar division chief Halim Zaman remains cautiously optimistic that PKR, along with its Pakatan Rakyat allies in Sabah and Sarawak, “can rise to the occasion and deny BN a victory by default”.