SANDAKAN – The United Kinabalu Progressive Organisation (Upko), the sole Sabah-based party in Pakatan Harapan (PH), has taken an early step by conveying its desired state seats for the coming state election.
Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick expressed the party’s intention to defend its stronghold of Kadamaian, along with several other Kadazandusun Murut-majority seats. He communicated the party’s preferences to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who also heads the state’s ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Although the collaboration between GRS and PH in the coming state election remains unconfirmed, Ewon emphasised Upko’s commitment to contesting in its desired seats, avoiding a repeat of the sudden merging scenario that occurred in the 2020 state election.
Speaking at the Upko Convention launch at the Lundayeh Cultural Centre in Sipitang, Ewon, who is also Kadamaian assemblyman, stressed the need for new discussions on seat allocation and political collaboration, adding that they should be different from the previous election to prevent a recurrence of past issues.
Reflecting on the 2020 Sabah election, Ewon recalled how Upko became part of the opposition due to a last-minute merging strategy by Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah, forming the GRS coalition two weeks before polling day.
“The situation is far different now. That is why discussions on seat allocation and political collaboration should be new, fresh, and different from the previous state election (to avoid what happened in the past state election),” he said.
GRS secured 38 seats, forming the Sabah government against Warisan, Sabah PH and Upko, with a total of 32 seats. Upko managed to secure one seat, Kadamaian, out of Sabah’s total of 73 seats.
Ewon stressed the importance of Upko contesting in its desired seats to contribute to better administration and called for a fresh and different approach to discussions on seat allocation and collaboration.
Currently, Upko holds two federal seats, Penampang held by Ewon and Tuaran by Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
The current ruling coalition comprises parties under GRS and Sabah PH, with its term set to end in October 2025. – February 3, 2024