KUALA LUMPUR – Sabah’s United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) has joined the Pakatan Harapan opposition coalition after its application to do so was accepted.
The coalition’s chief secretary, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said in a statement today that its presidential council has accepted its application.
“The doors of Pakatan Harapan are always open for cooperation with other opposition parties; in fact, we welcome any party that would like to join us.
“At this moment, it is with great delight (to announce) that Upko has made an official application to join Pakatan Harapan.
“Today’s presidential council, in a meeting, has made the decision to accept Upko as one of Pakatan Harapan’s component parties,” said Saifuddin.
Earlier, Upko’s Youth wing had urged its leaders to cooperate with PH following its call for all opposition MPs to work under its “big-tent” concept first introduced in April.
Yesterday, opposition leader and Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had reiterated his call for the “big tent” approach to unite all opposition parties.
Meanwhile, Upko vice-president Datuk Ewon Benedick in a statement said the party’s decision to be part of PH is aligned with its aspirations as a multiracial outfit.
The Kadamaian assemblyman said PH is now Malaysia’s largest alliance of multiracial parties, with PKR, DAP, Amanah and Upko as members.
“Other alliances like Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional still have parties that are race- and religion-based. This is not a step forward for Malaysia,” he said, referring to Islamist party PAS, the Indian-based MIC, Malay Umno and Chinese MCA. – The Vibes, August 26, 2021
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