Syahrudin Awang Ahmad said the leaders’ move to pledge their support for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) was triggered by Kitingan’s decision to pull STAR out of the ruling coalition.

Kitingan’s decision, believed to have been made unilaterally, had left many grassroots dissatisfied, Syahrudin, who leads think tank Borneo Geo-Politics & Electoral Studies, told FMT.

“What we are witnessing is loyalty to the party president taking a backseat, with party leaders prioritising winning the polls, especially given Sabah’s unpredictable political landscape.

“There is a chance we will witness the fall of the top guns in politics at the 17th Sabah election, now that the grassroots are daring enough to go up against their leaders,” he said without ruling out the likes of Kitingan.

Syahrudin added that Kitingan was paying the price for his recent decisions.

On Wednesday night, Kitingan pulled STAR out of GRS, citing the coalition’s pact with Pakatan Harapan, and arguing that the stance was based on grassroots’ sentiments.

He also said he would “go alone” if other STAR assemblymen and leaders disagreed with his decision to leave GRS.

Last night, Kitingan said he accepted the decision of the five STAR leaders to continue supporting GRS.

STAR deputy president Ellron Alfred Angin and vice-presidents Abidin Madingkir, Annuar Ayub and Flovia Ng had broken ranks with Kitingan by attending Sabah chief minister Hajiji Noor’s announcement of the state assembly’s dissolution.

Ellron later confirmed that his Muslim Bumiputera counterpart in the party, Robert Tawik, was also sticking with GRS in the state polls.

Before Ellron’s announcement, Kuamut STAR chief Mandik Yadam also pledged loyalty to GRS, saying the division had agreed not to field a candidate for the election and would support the choice from Hajiji’s coalition instead.

Syahrudin said the grassroots now viewed Kitingan as a “risk”.

He also said that Kitingan, the incumbent Tambunan assemblyman, had few options left when it came to finding a “strategic partner” since the election was around the corner.

An election must be held within 60 days of the state assembly’s dissolution.

“He could form an alliance with Warisan, but would he dare to? What he is championing is vastly different from the cause Warisan is pushing. He may just have to go alone to avoid embarrassment,” Syahrudin said.