Rebel PKR divisions in Sabah have unanimously endorsed the "burn the bridges" decision on Oct 27 by Keningau division chief Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan.

kitingan project ic 250107 jeffery kitingan The agreement reportedly came during a marathon session at Jeffrey's ( left ) house in Kota Kinabalu last night, according to several insiders.

The gathering, from 5 pm to 10 pm, was attended by 12 division chiefs. Also present were the two acting division chiefs of Pensiangan and Penampang and a division representative from Sepanggar.

Sandakan, which has a pro-tem committee like Sepanggar, was not represented.

Nine other divisions aligned with the new state chief Ahmad Thamrin Jaini, including six who have since publicly declared their support for him, were reportedly not invited.

The nine are Tuaran, Tawau, Ranau, Kudat, Kinabatangan, Libaran, Silam, Semporna and Kalabakan.

The decision by the rebel division chiefs to go along with Jeffrey, it is learnt, followed "an ominous silence" from party advisor Anwar Ibrahim on the former's three-point formula to save the party in Sabah.

"Why can't he (Anwar) at least call me?" Jeffrey reportedly complained during the meeting. "I think that we better not wait for these people to come to their senses. If we stand up for the people, they will be with us all the way."

Too coy to reveal details

Those gathered, it is learnt, thumped the tables in agreement.

Following the endorsement by rebel division chiefs for Jeffrey's "burn the bridges" statement, last Saturday' ultimatum from the Papar division to the party headquarters has now become academic.

The division wanted Anwar to cancel Thamrin's appointment within two weeks.

black 14 questioning 160408 azmin ali He replaced Azmin Ali (right) from Selangor who got the boot after an Oct 7 meeting of 16 division chiefs in Kota Kinabalu expressed no confidence in him and named Jeffrey as his replacement.

The Papar division has put a resolution adopted last Saturday on dissolution on hold. Jeffrey has since disclosed that this followed his timely intervention.

Jeffrey, when contacted later at 7pm yesterday through a former deputy state chief, declined to reveal details.

Asked whether he was planning to announce a rival state line-up since he claimed to have majority support, he replied again in the negative as in recent days.

"I have already announced that I have burnt my bridges. I can't say anything for now. Wait for two more days and then I will make a statement. If there's any delay, it will not be later than Friday, "said Jeffrey.

Heartfelt plea not to quit

The meeting broke into stitches, according to insider accounts, when Kota Kinabalu division chief Christina Liew informed those gathered that she had received a short text message from Tawau division chief Kong Hong Ming.

Kong had challenged Liew to prove her earlier allegation in the media that the figure of 17 divisions lined-up in support of Thamrin was a manipulation by those willing to kowtow to Kuala Lumpur.

Liew, it is learnt from those who attended, also received a SMS from party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

In her message, Wan Azizah apparently implored Liew not to quit the party and let her nine years of service end up as time wasted.

Liew, when reached about 11 pm last night, declined to talk about the meeting. "We can't make any statement to the media on matters like this," said Liew. "Any statement has to come from Jeffrey."

Senior PKR activist Chua Jui Meng also interrupted the meeting for a division leader with an urgent call imploring him not to go along with the others and ditch the party.

Chua wanted to know whether members of several divisions along the west coast were planning to resign en masse this week from the party. "I just listened to him," said the division leader.

Two divisions, Pensiangan and Tenom, reportedly expressed their willingness to be among the first to resign en masse from the party on condition that Keningau led the way.

Smile masks political turmoil

Jeffrey, it appears, did not respond and merely smiled before moving on to the next item on the agenda.

If three divisions quit PKR this week as widely speculated, it can be expected to cause a chain reaction. If Papar is added, that makes four.

The meeting was surprised to learn that three PBS state divisions - Bingkor, Sook and Nabawan - were willing to throw in their lot with the rebel division chiefs.

Likewise, it was learnt, that some former United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) leaders, now in Sabah Umno, had expressed interest in moving out from the Peninsula Malaysia-based party and joining any new political vehicle planned by the rebel division chiefs.

Usno was deregistered after Umno came to Sabah and declared that the members of the former were now automatically members of the latter.

Jeffrey, in a lengthy briefing, informed the meeting that he was working on a Common Interest Group for the moment rather than immediately going for the obvious alternative of registering a new political party.

The Keningau division chief, insiders insist, talked about the possibility of persuading various sections within the Barisan Nasional components parties in Sabah to work with the rebel divisions through the Common Interest Group.

On the sidelines of the meeting, it was learnt that an individual from Kuala Lumpur was seen having a drink with Jeffrey at a nearby restaurant about 10.30 pm.

Insiders learnt the man was some sort of "broker". The former deputy state chief, when asked whether the man was former PKR Sarawak advisor Michael Bong, replied in the negative.

Contacted again at about 11.30pm, Jeffrey was momentarily caught off guard by questions on his proposed Common Interest Group and the meeting.

By the time he regained his composure, all he could manage was a reminder to be ready for an announcement within the week.