KOTA KINABALU: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) has today formally submitted its application to become a component party within the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
This strategic move was expressed during a meeting between a UPKO delegation led by its president, Datuk Ewon Benedick, and the Chief Minister of Sabah, who is also the Chairman of GRS, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, to hand over the application documents.
Ewon stated that the desire to join the coalition is driven by UPKO’s intention to contribute directly to the unity and close cooperation among local parties in the state.
He emphasised that this agreement is crucial for strengthening efforts to develop Sabah’s future while consistently advocating for the rights of the state as outlined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Federal Constitution.
“The Sabah First vision championed by UPKO aligns perfectly with the direction of GRS’s struggle through the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 roadmap. This must be reinforced through closer cooperation and the unity of local parties in Sabah,” he said in a statement today.
Further commenting on the decision, Ewon revealed that the move to join GRS was not a personal decision but was unanimously agreed upon during the UPKO Supreme Council meeting held on May 25.
UPKO’s entry into the GRS bloc is expected to create a new political landscape in Sabah, particularly in empowering the voices of local blocs for a more holistic development agenda for the people of the state beneath the wind.
