Several rebel Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) division chiefs in Sabah have reached "a broad consensus" that a new multiracial political vehicle was needed to voice local issues, especially Sabah rights.

They see the new vehicle having a common cause with parties in Sarawak and the like-minded in Peninsular Malaysia. In this, they see a trend towards a third political force emerging in the country.

The division chiefs are banking on Keningau division chief Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan taking the lead. However, there has been no hint thus far from Jeffrey that he's taking the bait.

"I don't want to answer this at the moment," said Jeffrey ( below ) wearily. "Let me discuss with the grassroots first before making any decision."

NONE He also confessed that he had no idea what is happening in PKR in Kuala Lumpur (regarding Sabah) at the moment.

Also, the newly-appointed Sabah PKR chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini has yet to announce the new state line-up. PKR party advisor Anwar Ibrahim, in a concession over Jeffrey's loss of the state chief's post, wants him to name the new state line-up. Jeffrey has rejected this offer.

Jeffrey said he does not know where his Common Interest Group (CIG), an ad hoc movement set up in recent days, will lead to. He rules out the CIG being turned into a political force.

"The CIG will remain a CIG i.e. above politics," said Jeffrey who has a CIG meeting at 5pm today in Tambunan. Somehow, he comes across as someone going off to a spiritual meeting.

There is no shortage of the number of people who publicly claim that Jeffrey will soon set up his own political party. These include Sepanggar division chief Halik Zaman who quit the party and left the division suspended over irregularities.

Others are Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew, former PKR state secretary Kanul Gindul, former deputy state chief Daniel John Jambun and Batu Sapi division chief Nahalan Damsal. Nahalan was on the verge of quitting the party last week but has since held back.

Consumer Movement for Sabah and Labuan (Cash) chief Patrick Sindu claimed that he has a mandate from all NGOs in the state to support any party set up by Jeffrey. He's willing to set up the party himself as the pro-tem president but needed the go-ahead from Jeffrey.

New party to be launched soon?

Senior PKR activist Paul Gitang, a party candidate in Sook last year, went a step further. He said that a small group is currently working on registering the new party which will be launched soon.

"Jeffrey advised us that in war, we need sufficient force and also allies before we can defeat the enemy," said Gitang. "The local parties in Sabah including Sapp will be with us on this. Even elements within component parties of the BN support us."

Nahalan, a prominent leader in the east coast, took some time to explain his position at length on why he supports any proposed new party to be headed by Jeffrey.

"I received a call from Anwar Ibrahim last week asking me why I supported Jeffrey to be PKR state chief and not Thamrin," disclosed Nahalan who is a Bajau-Suluk.

NONE "I told him that Jeffrey was elected by the majority of division chiefs including my division. Besides, he's the best leader we have in the opposition. It's not true that he's crazy about posts or likes to switch from party to party for no reason."

Implied, but not stated specifically by Anwar ( left ) during the hour-long telephone conversation, was that Nahalan should seriously think about supporting Thamrin on the basis of their common faith.

Apparently, Anwar was busy working the phones last week trying to persuade other Muslim division chiefs as well, including KadazanDusunMurut, to withdraw their support for Jeffrey to be the new state chief.

Muslim KadazanDusunMuruts come from the Orang Sungei along the Kinabatangan, Bisaya in the west coast and Ranau Dusun tribes in the high country.

Anwar's willingness to ride roughshod over local sentiments in Sabah was the last straw for Nahalan. He said he realised that "Anwar has not changed since his Umno and Abim (Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia) days and is very much a closet racist".

PKR falling into the same trap as Umno

Besides, Nahalan had always been against the politics of race and religion a la Peninsular Malaysia, introduced in Sabah by BN, since the fall of the PBS (Parti Bersatu Sabah) government in 1994.

He's taking the line that this divisive trend is part of Kuala Lumpur's divide-and-rule tactics in Sabah. He thinks that PKR is falling into the same trap in Sabah, as Umno, by playing to the race and religion gallery and "installing their local proxies, stooges and traitors" in office.

"Race and religion are not issues in politics. We need to focus on Sabah issues as raised by Jeffrey and Sapp," said Nahalan. "That's why he has my support. If he forms a new political party, and I think he should, he has my support."

Nahalan is in favour of going back to the old format in Sabah where one multiracial party ruled the state as in the days of Berjaya and PBS. He sees the present situation in Sabah as one where every Muslim is being referred to by Kuala Lumpur as Malay and being virtually forced to subscribe to Umno.

"This kind of politics only benefits a handful of top party leaders," said Nahalan. "The Malays in Peninsular Malaysia have realised this. That's why they no longer subscribe to Umno."

NONE PKR, having benefited from the anti-Umno trend among the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia, "appears to be willing to outdo Umno in Sabah in the politics of race and religion," said Nahalan.

Senior PKR activist Richard Jayasuriya, the former president of the deregistered Parti Pasok (native), could hardly believe that Anwar was apparently playing up the issue of religion in a telephone conversation with Nahalan.

"PKR is supposed to be above race and religion," said Jayasuriya. "I still can't believe that Nahalan heard what he heard." Jayasuriya, who confessed that he's worried about the future of PKR in the state, has been privately working on his own formula to bring back peace in the Sabah chapter of the party.

Jambun hopes that Anwar will practice in Sabah what he preaches in Peninsular Malaysia. "Anwar must practice meritocracy," said Jambun. "He should appoint the best and those who have the support to run the party. Only a mediocre person will harp on race and religion to win support."

Kanul, who was formerly Jeffrey's political secretary, feels that not many people know Anwar that well. "He only comes across looking good when he's reading from a prepared text or making off the cuff remarks on the same old theme," said Kanul.

"Otherwise, he comes across as not very coherent or intelligible. That's what happened during his telephone conversation with Nahalan."