Upko Pulls Out of Sabah Pakatan, Citing Unfulfilled MA63 Promises and Push for “Sabah First” Agenda

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 10: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) has officially withdrawn from the Sabah Pakatan Harapan coalition, just five days before the state election nomination day, signaling a major political shake-up in the run-up to the polls.

UPKO secretary-general Datuk Nelson Angang announced that the party’s supreme council made the unanimous decision to leave the coalition on Monday, citing growing dissatisfaction with the federal government’s handling of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sabah’s long-standing claim to its 40% revenue entitlement.

“Upko’s withdrawal from Pakatan Harapan takes immediate effect. This decision will be formally communicated to the Pakatan chairman and all its component parties,” Angang said in a statement today.

The move came just hours after party president Datuk Ewon Benedick tendered his resignation as Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, following disagreements with the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) over the judicial review involving Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement.

Angang said the council fully endorsed Benedick’s resignation, adding that the party’s future direction will prioritize cooperation with Sabah-based local parties sharing the “Sabah First” agenda.

“Upko believes good relations between the federal and Sabah governments must be rooted in the true spirit and implementation of MA63,” Angang said.

During its four years within Pakatan Harapan, Angang noted that UPKO consistently pushed for stronger representation of Sabah’s interests, including the restoration of the 40% entitlement, one-third parliamentary seat allocation for Sabah and Sarawak, and administrative autonomy for Sabah Pakatan.

However, he said differences in interpretation and approach between UPKO and national Pakatan leaders led to ongoing friction, particularly in decision-making related to state-level leadership.

According to Angang, the Pakatan presidential council never recognized Benedick’s election as Sabah Pakatan chairman, despite him being voted in by the state assembly. Instead, he was appointed merely as a “coordinator,” while key election strategies were determined by PKR without Sabah’s full autonomy.

“Upko even faced open criticism from within Pakatan despite following proper election procedures,” Angang said.

The party concluded that local Sabah parties were better positioned to champion the state’s constitutional rights and aspirations.

“Only local parties truly understand the heartbeat, spirit, and future of Sabah. Our focus now is to advance the ‘Sabah First’ struggle under MA63,” Angang added.

Despite the withdrawal, both UPKO MPs, Datuk Ewon Benedick and Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, have pledged continued support for the Federal Government to maintain national political stability until the current term ends.