KOTA KINABALU, Dec 13 — Sabah Opposition leader Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan foresees more changes in the state’s political landscape with re-alignments and new alliances muddying up an already complex playing field.

Kitingan said that the recent exodus of Sabah’s key players from Umno would likely see the now party-less elected representatives seeking to find new ways to remain relevant to their constituents while having the comfort and support of a strong party.

"I believe they will find a way to be friendly with the federal government,” he said, adding that having a strong national party like Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) would be beneficial for them.

Kitingan, who is one of the co-deputy chairmen of local Opposition alliance Gabungan Bersatu Sabah, said that the ex-Umno leaders would do well to forge an understanding with the national government so as to be a good check and balance against the state government.

The GBS is a local alliance made up of local Opposition parties like Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and various independents who have left their parties.

Kitingan, who said he understood why the leaders had to leave Umno, added that it was the right move to make at a time when the party was irrelevant to the people.

"But now they are confronted with choices — as a group how do they handle Warisan? Do they go into local parties or national? And they are so used to Umno for so long and they want to find a way to remain in that kind of environment. The next choice is one of the national parties,” he said.

"They may not have decided yet, but I believe this is where they may be heading.”

He said in the future, Sabah may see a scenario similar to that of the 1970s to 1990s where local political parties were at odds within the state but worked together on a federal level, indicating that GBS would be keen on working with PPBM.

"Somebody needs to balance this state government that is going astray, focusing on the wrong things like illegal immigrants, rather than developing the state,” he said.