Sabah deserves one-third of seats: Upko
Published on: Monday, November 06, 2023
By: Hayati Dzulkifli
Ewon accepting 2,100 new membership forms of Upko Putatan from Dr Marcus while others look on in the event.
PUTATAN: The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) fully supports the allocation of one-third of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak.
Its President Datuk Ewon Benedick, said this is not only related to the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) but also to provide political balance between the Borneo region (Sabah and Sarawak) and the Peninsula.
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“Our demand is that one-third of the total number of parliamentary seats should be allocated to Sabah and Sarawak.
“We want one-third not only in relation to the MA63 but also to ensure a balance between the Borneo region, which includes Sabah, Sarawak and the Peninsula consisting of the states of Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Ewon, who is also Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, said this to reporters after launching the re-activation of Putatan division of Upko at the Kg Duvanson Putatan Community Hall, here, last Saturday.
He said that the sentiment of 3R, which relates to race, religion, and royalty, is often raised during election campaigns in the Peninsula.
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Therefore, he said, the Borneo region can serve as a counterbalance or highlight a more moderate politics.
“That’s why I see there is fairness and a strong foundation for the demand for one-third of parliamentary seats,” he said.
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Ewon said he would personally raise the matter in the upcoming meeting of the MA63 Technical Committee after obtaining additional inputs from various parties, including the Upko Election Bureau.
“We will also discuss the list of new delineation areas with the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor.
“I believe that the parties in Sabah and Sarawak are looking into this matter, and we still have room to raise this issue in various platforms, including the media, Parliament, Senate, MA63 Implementation Technical Committee and the Special Council of MATPMA63,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Putatan Member of Parliament, Datuk Dr. Marcus M. Mojigoh, now helms the leadership of the Putatan United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) with a membership of 2,100 people.
In early 2020, the then Upko Putatan Division Chief, left the party before joining the Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) party in 2021.
With the “return” of the Putatan division party leader to Upko, Ewon said the party reactivated the Putatan Upko Division.
“We are reactivating the Upko Putatan Division which is again led by its former leader Datuk Dr Marcus with a membership of 2,100 people so far.
“This shows that after the transition of leadership in the party, new members appeared, either those who had been party members and party leaders and also those who had never joined any party had joined Upko,” he said to the reporters after officiating the event in Kg Duvanson, here, Nov 4.
Ewon, who is also Penampang MP and Kadamaian Assemblyman, said in the near future he will attend the reception of former Upko members and new members in Keningau and in several other parts of Sabah.
He said he saw this as a support to the party and to the Unity Government for them to be part of the government’s administration process by expressing views and criticisms.
“I can bring the discussion either in the Cabinet, party leadership or Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership or unity secretariat.
“In the Upko National Convention last September, I invited former leaders and party members to return to this party, as well as new members. I asked existing members not to label former leaders and party members who left, instead welcome their re-joining the party.
“I am happy that this was well received in Putatan which saw the return of Datuk Dr Marcus and the reactivation of this section which is mostly led by professionals and former senior civil service officers,” he said.
To a question, Ewon said Upko is eyeing to place its candidate in Tanjung Aru seat for the coming State election as it is under Putatan parliamentary seat.
Also present were Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Putatan divisional head Awang Husaini bin Awang Sahari, representative from Amanah and several main committee members of Upko.
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