KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10 — The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) has announced its withdrawal from Pakatan Harapan (PH), citing deepening differences with national component parties over the interpretation and implementation of Sabah’s constitutional rights — particularly the 40 per cent revenue entitlement — and the lack of real autonomy for PH Sabah.
The decision was made after a special meeting of Upko’s Supreme Council earlier today, which also endorsed party president Datuk Ewon Benedick’s move to resign as federal Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives over his disagreement with the Attorney General’s Chambers’ stance in the judicial review on Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement filed by the Sabah Law Society.
UPKO secretary-general Datuk Nelson Anggang said the gap in views with PH partners in Peninsular Malaysia had widened over key issues, including the state’s demand for one-third of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, and the failure to implement administrative autonomy for PH Sabah.
“During its four years in Pakatan Harapan, Upko had consistently advanced the Sabah First agenda in negotiations involving the PH election manifesto as well as discussions within the Unity Government administration led by the PH chairman.
“However, during this period, differences in interpretation, views, and positions arose between Upko and PH component parties at the national level regarding the implementation of Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue rights, the demand for one-third of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, and the failure to implement administrative autonomy for PH Sabah,” Anggang said.
The party also expressed frustration that its leadership of PH Sabah, decided through a formal state-level assembly, was never resolved by the PH Presidential Council due to objections from PKR Sabah.
Despite winning the chairmanship through a process overseen by PH headquarters, Upko said it faced public criticism and was later reduced to a “coordinator” role, with key election decisions still being made by PKR.
UPKO said it remains committed to maintaining good relations between the federal and Sabah governments, but stressed that such cooperation must be grounded in the “spirit, objectives, essence and implementation” of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“After four years within PH and in light of the people’s call for the unification of local Sabah parties, the UPKO Supreme Council has decided to withdraw from Pakatan Harapan with immediate effect,” the statement read.
Upko maintained that only Sabah-based parties truly understand the state’s aspirations and that the Sabah First agenda — based on the MA63 and the Federal Constitution — will remain its guiding principle.
The party said it is open to collaborating with other local parties that share the same vision to push for the effective implementation of MA63, including the long-disputed 40 per cent revenue entitlement.
Upko’s two Members of Parliament — Ewon (Penampang) and Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran) — will, however, continue to heed the King’s call to preserve the stability of the federal government until the end of the current parliamentary term.
