Sabah PKR strongman Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan is re-thinking his earlier outright rejection, hardly days ago, of his elder brother Joseph Pairin Kitingan's indirect overtures to him to rejoin PBS (Parti Bersatu Sabah). This is a party they both founded together in 1985 to seize the reins of power from the ruling BN (Barisan Nasional) in Kota Kinabalu within 45 days of its registration.

The apparent re-think follows accusations by PBS leaders that he might have been a little too hasty in sniggering at the invite, which was extended twice in recent days by PBS vice president Herbert Timbon Lagadan on behalf of Pairin and the Supreme Council. Expressing no regrets at his earlier rejection of Pairin's overtures, he's now willing to seriously consider joining his old party to continue with his political struggles albeit with certain conditions.

"If they (PBS) can get a better deal for the people of Sabah, I am willing to consider joining them once again," said Jeffrey seriously. "It will be like old times again."

"But if, as part of the Government they cannot do this (get a better deal), then they should seriously consider abandoning the BN (Barisan Nasional) and joining me, instead, in Pakatan Rakyat (PR)."

The PKR vice-president is giving PBS leaders one year, until Malaysia Day on Sept 16 next year, to achieve a "better deal for Sabah". Success would mean he's wholeheartedly embracing PBS once again. He has already been a member of PBS twice with a third bid in 2005 being rejected by the Supreme Council. Failure to get "the better deal" should force the party leaders to re-think their current role in BN and accept the hand of friendship offered by PKR, reiterated Jeffrey.

Basically, wresting a better deal for the people of Sabah calls for the reversal of "the dependency syndrome" which has impoverished the state, according to Jeffrey. "It must be remembered that the continuing influx, under Umno, of illegal immigrants into the state has worsened the poverty picture. Neighbouring countries are simply transferring their problems to us."

Specifically, Jeffrey wants PBS to "remain true to itself" and re-adopt the Tambunan Declaration which was the party's initial raison d'être (reason for being). The Declaration was quietly abandoned when former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad re-accepted PBS back into the BN fold after earlier thundering that "the doors are closed forever". The re-adoption has been suggested as the first step towards securing a better deal for Sabah. The Declaration has since become PKR's main political framework in Sabah and attracted Jeffrey to its politics. PKR, at the national level, subscribes to the Permatang Pauh Declaration, which was adopted ten years ago.

Briefly, the resurrected Tambunan Declaration is "a guarantee to the people of Sabah by a Federal Government led by PKR in alliance with its other partners in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)".

Seven-point Declaration

The seven-point Declaration calls for due respect and full implementation of the 20 Points Formula under which Sabah helped bring Malaysia together with neighbouring Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya after protracted discussions which also included Brunei until the 11th hour, with the United Kingdom and the United Nations.

Elsewhere, it calls for the appointment of a Deputy Prime Minister from either Sabah or Sarawak; a rise in the oil royalty from 5 per cent to 20 per cent; a greater role for Sabah in the Federal Cabinet, in Parliament and in the diplomatic service "according to an agreed and fair formula to ensure a better balance"; the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to probe into the issue of MyKads to illegal immigrants under the infamous Projek IC or IC Mahathir, the issue of illegal immigration, and ways to ensure that the sovereignty of the nation is assured as envisaged under the Rukun Negara (National Philosophy); respect for all communities and their culture; and finally, the seventh point, allows Sabah to decide its own economic and development agenda in line with the National Agenda.

Jeffrey warned that PBS is at its a critical juncture after nearly 25 years and it must decide wisely if it is to continue remaining relevant to the hopes and aspirations of the people of Sabah. "I have my principles. I am fighting for the rakyat (citizens), not for myself," said Jeffrey on his grave reservations about PBS. "He (Pairin) knows that Umno grabbed power from PBS and is perpetuating the problem of illegal immigration. Let them do something for the people within the next one year." PBS has seen declining support ever since it re-joined the BN and won many of its seats by small margins in the general elections last year. Only the absence of a one-to-one opposition electoral pact saved the PBS from certain defeat at the ballot box.

"The prognosis is not good for the PBS," noted Jeffrey who seems pessimistic that the party can meet the one year deadline set by him. "The PBS is in its death throes and it will be totally rejected by the people. Pairin will probably get his 1994 wish to remain the last man left standing in the PBS."

Factors 'pulling' PBS out of political reckoning

Jeffrey lists the penetration of the internet among 20 per cent of the youths in Sabah, the influence of 300,000 workers from the state in Peninsular Malaysia and the emergence of PR as a viable alternative as the factors that will usher PBS out of the political reckoning. The perception that there's no alternative to the BN no longer exists, added Jeffrey. "That's a perception carefully cultivated by the BN for so long now and kept in place by ignorance, poverty and the dependency syndrome."

Jeffrey explains further why he's pessimistic about the future of the PBS as presently constituted.

The checks and balances, promised by the doctrine of the separation of powers, has been eroded over the years by the executive branch which has made Parliament, the Judiciary and the 4th Estate all subservient to it, he alleged.

Jeffrey further alleged that abuses of powers are taking place daily as Umno exercises absolute power. He cited the recent rulings by the Court of Appeal in the case of the Pensiangan parliamentary seat, the aborted Mazu Goddess of the Sea statue in Kudat and the Perak constitutional crisis as all "shameful episodes on the part of the Judiciary".

Jeffrey's 360 degree turn on the invite from PBS has fuelled public suspicions that the two Kitingan brothers have hatched some of political sandiwara (drama) between them. The others, across both sides of the political divide, seem to be mere helpless by-standers. Jeffrey's pooh-poohs the conspiracy theories. Still, PKR may yet inadvertently emerge in the process as some sort of strong pressure lobby on BN to save PBS from itself.