KOTA KINABALU, SABAH, MALAYSIA, Nov 10, 2025 – The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) has officially announced its immediate withdrawal from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, following a Special Meeting of the party’s Supreme Council that firmly decided to prioritize the “Sabah First” agenda based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The announcement comes in full support of UPKO President Datuk Ewon Benedick’s decision to resign as Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives at the federal level. Ewon disagreed with the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) stance throughout the judicial review proceedings filed by the Sabah Law Society regarding the claim for Sabah’s 40 percent revenue rights.
According to UPKO Secretary-General Datuk Nelson W. Angang, the special meeting held earlier today deeply discussed the party’s struggle direction, emphasizing the interpretation gaps and stances between UPKO and PH component parties at the national level. “Over the four years with PH, we have made the Sabah First agenda the foundation in negotiations for PH’s election manifesto and discussions in the Unity Government administration led by the PH Chairman,” he stated in today’s press release.
However, Angang added, there were clear misalignments, including the failure to implement Sabah’s 40 percent revenue rights, the demand for one-third of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak, and autonomy in PH Sabah administration. He also highlighted the issue of PH Sabah chairmanship, which should have been held by UPKO through the PH Sabah General Meeting, but was not resolved by the PH Presidential Council due to objections from PKR Sabah.
“Even though the selection decision was managed by administrators from PH Headquarters, we received open criticism. Ultimately, the UPKO President was only appointed as a ‘coordinator,’ but election preparation decisions were made by PKR without real autonomy for PH Sabah – contradicting the official announcement,” Angang stressed.
UPKO reaffirms its stance that Sabah’s 40 percent rights are separate from the Federal Government’s responsibilities under the Federal List, and the party believes only Sabah local parties truly understand the “pulse, soul, vision, and dreams of Sabah’s future” based on MA63 and the Federal Constitution.
Moving forward, UPKO expresses readiness to collaborate with other Sabah local parties committed to championing the Sabah First agenda, to ensure the effective implementation of MA63, such as the 40 percent rights. “Good relations between the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government must be strengthened, but based on the spirit, purpose, essence, and implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” Angang added.
This decision also aligns with calls from Sabahans for the unification of local parties ahead of the upcoming election. Both UPKO Members of Parliament – Datuk Ewon Benedick (Tuaran) and Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau (Sepanggar) – pledge to continue upholding His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s directive to maintain the stability of the Federal Government until the end of the current term.
This official statement will be formally communicated to PH Chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and other component parties. The move is expected to impact Sabah’s political dynamics, particularly in efforts to restore the state’s rights under MA63, which remains a hot issue since Malaysia’s formation. UPKO, founded in 1961, is one of Sabah’s oldest parties and often serves as the voice of the Kadazan-Dusun community.
