KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) will collaborate with any political party for the sake of political stability in Sabah, said its president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
The Sabah deputy chief minister hopes that all political parties, particularly Sabah political parties, could put aside their differences and work together as a single entity, as in neighbouring Sarawak.
"We are open to suggestions and we can work with any political party, as we have been doing all this while," he said in a statement today.
"This is so that we can be stronger. I think that is ideal and one day it might be like that. Let's work towards that, " he said in a statement.
Jeffrey was speaking at the launch of a joint venture between Koperasi Star Sabah Bhd (KOPSTAR) Holdings Sdn Bhd and Trucknet Machinery Trading Sdn Bhd here.
His remarks came after a show of unity by the government and opposition benches in rejecting the Territorial Sea Act 2012 in the Sabah state assembly sitting yesterday.
Jeffrey said currently there is a show of unity between both the government and the opposition with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and restoring Sabah's rights.
For example, Jeffrey said in the State Assembly yesterday, all the representatives unanimously rejected the Territorial Sea Act 2012, which unilaterally reduces the territorial sea of Sabah and Sarawak from 12 nautical miles to three nautical miles.
The Keningau Member of Parliament said this was a reduction of nine nautical miles, or 16.5km.
Meanwhile, commenting on today's event, Jeffrey said the joint venture between KOPSTAR and Trucknet Machinery Trading will allow the latter to supply and assemble small and medium size lorries to local farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in the state.
Jeffrey said the joint venture hoped to assist cooperative members, especially farmers, in transporting and marketing their produce.
"Through this agreement, cooperative members will own these light machinery through easy purchase financing designed by KOPSTAR," he said, adding that the trucks were 20 per cent cheaper compared to other brands in their class.