Barisan Independen, or Independent Front, is to focus on at least half of the 60 state seats in what its leader, the maverick politician Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, described as a move "to correct a lot of things that are not right in Sabah".

Barisan Independen is an organised group of independents headed by Jeffrey - the controversial brother of former Sabah chief minister and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Joseph Pairin Kitingan - and "who for strategic reasons are not with any political party".

Jeffrey, the state assemblyperson for Bingkor until dissolution of the state assembly, told malaysiakini : "A lot of things have been happening in Sabah which are not right for the country because of the folly of its leaders."

One of the issues in this election, according to him, is the distribution of seats to component parties in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

"The distribution is unfair. Umno is controlling the state as an extension of colonialism," he said.

Another is the rotation system of the chief minister's post which Jeffrey feels should be retained.

Jeffrey also touched on the alleged loss of state rights such as on oil and gas, declining state revenue and the growing gap between expenditure and revenue, pointing to the increasing reliance on the central government, and as a result decision-making is increasingly left to Kuala Lumpur.

"The situation allows for increasing (federal) control of decision-making in Sabah, leading to complacency and lack of initiatives on the part of state leaders," he lamented.

Settle old score

Barisan Independen, which is hoping to cooperate with other opposition parties to take on the ruling nine-party coalition, will contest in five to 10 parliamentary seats.

However, Jeffrey is keeping mum on whether he will contest in his old seat of Bingkor or Sook, saying "it will be known on nomination day (Saturday)".

He said there is still an "unsettled score" with his former party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Joseph Kurup after he unsuccessfully mounted a leadership challenge.

Sook is a state seat held by Joseph.

"We are not hardcore opposition or an opposition that opposes everything. We feel that the Barisan Nasional system is good but the way it is implemented in Sabah is not very good."

Most political observers say while there is no real danger for the ruling Barisan Nasional to lose power in Sabah - the Malay/Muslim-based Umno, Kadazandusun-based PBS and Chinese-based Sabah Progressive Party, Sapp, are largely seen as dominant players in Sabah's power politics - a combined opposition which include Barisan Independent has the potential to take several state seats from the BN.

"Part of the problem is the disagreement over the allocation of seats in some of the areas from within the component parties," one said.

Jeffrey is seeking to form a wider opposition coalition, called the Barisan Sabah, and strike a compromise between the two other opposition parties - Keadilan and DAP - so as not to split the votes.

Common 'independent' symbol

PBRS, which is being targeted specifically by Jeffrey's loose front, could fare the worst in terms of seats won. Another Chinese-based party Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by former chief minister Chong Kah Kiat is said to be facing an uphill battle in one or two seats.

Jeffrey told malaysiakini he did apply to rejoin PBS at his brother's request but he subsequently withdrew the application because some of the party leaders were unhappy with him.

There was also talks that some smaller opposition parties had wanted him to stand on their ticket, but it never proceeded beyond newspaper reports.

Partyless Jeffrey, who is in his 50s, said all candidates for Barisan Independent would be standing on a common independent symbol.

"We would all be sharing costs," said the politician, an influential figure in PBS-ruled Sabah in the 1980s. He was at one-time director of Sabah Foundation.

Sabah's state seats have been increased from 48 to 60 and parliamentary seats from 20 to 25.