United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"UPKO" redirects here. For the Sabahan defunct political party of the 1960s of the similar acronym, see United Pasokmomogun Kadazan Organisation.

United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation
NewspaperUPKO Kini
Unofficial:
Nabalu News
Membership (2022)9548
IdeologyRegionalism
Multiracialism
National affiliationBarisan Nasional (1994–2018)
Pakatan Harapan (since 2021)
Colours  Blue, white and red
SloganMisompuru Tokou Wagu
Mari Kita Bersatu Kembali
(Let Us Be United Again)
Doiti Miampai Diau
DI Sini Bersamamu
(Here With You)
AnthemGunung Kinabalu
Dewan Negara
0 / 70
Dewan Rakyat
2 / 26
(Sabah and Labuan seats)
Sabah State Legislative Assembly
1 / 79
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
www.upko.org
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Politics of
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  • Mohd. Zuki Ali
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  • High Court in Malaya ∙ High Court in Sabah and Sarawak
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Ideologies and concepts

Race and politics

The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Malay: Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu; abbrev: UPKO) is a multiracial political party based in Sabah, Malaysia.[1] The party was rebranded from its previous party's name, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation using the same UPKO acronym; which was a widely known Kadazan-Dusun-Murut based party in 2019.[2] The party had earlier been renamed once before in 1999 from its initial 1994 formation name of Sabah Democratic Party.[3] In August 2021, UPKO has officially joined the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition as a component party.[4]

History

Sabah Democratic Party

The party started as

1995 federal election
, in which it won no seats.

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation

PDS was renamed as United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) or Pertubuhan Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Bersatu on 8 August 1999, taking the same acronym of the now defunct original

water buffalo as in the old UPKO logo.[5] It was redefined as an ethnically-based party striving to voice the rights and advance the development of KDM populations of Sabah and the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia.[8][9]

The party won three federal seats at the

Malaysian general election, 2013, the party was reduced from four to three federal seats and from six to four state assembly seats. Dompok lost his federal seat to the People's Justice Party (PKR). The following year he resigned as the party's president, a position he had held for 20 years.[10][11]

UPKO was one of the component parties in the

Bernard Dompok distanced himself from Prime Minister Najib Razak on the contentious question of the use by Malaysian Christians of the word "Allah" to describe God. Najib had supported a government appeal to the High Court seeking to outlaw the word's use by a Christian newspaper; Dompok criticised the appeal and defended the right of Christians, especially indigenous Malaysians, to use the word.[12]

UPKO also agitated, often against the national government of which it was a part, for tougher measures against illegal immigration in Sabah. In February 2012, UPKO succeeded in forcing the establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on illegal immigrants in Sabah. In the same year one of the party's federal parliamentarians, Wilfred Bumburing, quit UPKO and joined the opposition PKR in protest at what he considered to be government inaction on illegal immigration.[13]

UPKO was an advocate for the repeal of the

Internal Security Act, which for over 50 years permitted detention without charge in certain circumstances. The law was repealed in 2011.[14]

In the

Sabah Heritage Party, alongside PKR, DAP and Amanah became a partner party for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition instead.[15][16]

United Progressive People of Kinabalu Organisation

The party was re-branded again as United Progressive People of Kinabalu Organisation or Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu while retaining its existing UPKO acronym on 23 November 2019.[2][3][17] There is also a slight change in UPKO's logo with the inclusion of a new colour, red while the Mount Kinabalu image remains.[1][5] The party re-branding process was aimed to migrate from the communal politics to a universal and inclusive politics by opening the party membership to other races than KDM communities.[1][3] On 26 August 2021, it officially joined opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition.[4][18]

Leadership Structure

Elected representatives

UPKO currently holds two seats in the federal House of Representatives and one in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.

Dewan Negara (Senate)

Senators

Main article: Members of the Dewan Negara, 14th Malaysian Parliament

Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)

Members of Parliament of the 15th Malaysian Parliament

Main article: Members of the Dewan Rakyat, 15th Malaysian Parliament

UPKO currently has 2 members in the Dewan Rakyat.

State No. Parliament Constituency Member Party
 Sabah P170 Tuaran Wilfred Madius Tangau UPKO
P174 Penampang Ewon Benedick UPKO
Total Sabah (2)

Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)

Main article:
List of Malaysian State Assembly Representatives (2022–present)

Sabah State Legislative Assembly

1 / 79
State No. Federal Constituency No. State Constituency Member Party
 Sabah P169 Kota Belud N7 Kadamaian Ewon Benedick UPKO
Total Sabah (1)

General election results

Election Total seats won Seats contested Total votes Voting Percentage Outcome of election Election leader
1995

(as PDS)
0 / 192
 5 199,900 Steady; No representation in Parliament (Barisan Nasional) Bernard Giluk Dompok
1999
3 / 193
 5 89,999 Increase3 seats; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Bernard Giluk Dompok
2004
4 / 219
 5 55,117 0.79% Increase1 seat; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Bernard Giluk Dompok
2008
4 / 222
 5 58,856 0,74% Steady; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Bernard Giluk Dompok
2013
3 / 222
 5 53,584 0.48% Decrease1 seat; Governing coalition
(Barisan Nasional) 		Bernard Giluk Dompok
2018
1 / 222
 5 57,062 0.47% Decrease2 seats; Opposition coalition
(Barisan Nasional),
later Governing coalition,
later Opposition coalition
(Pakatan Harapan) 		Wilfred Madius Tangau
2022
2 / 222
 5 72,751 0.47% Increase1 seat; Governing coalition (Pakatan Harapan) Wilfred Madius Tangau
Ewon Benedick (leader-elect)

State election results

State election State Legislative Assembly
Sabah Total won / Total contested
2/3 majority
2 / 3
2 / 3
1999
2 / 60
2 / 12
2004
5 / 60
5 / 6
2008
6 / 60
6 / 6
2013
4 / 60
4 / 6
2018
5 / 60
5 / 6
2020
1 / 73
1 / 12

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "CM welcomes rebranding of Upko into party for all". Borneo Post. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Upko opens doors to other races in rebrand bid". Daily Express. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d "UPKO rebranded to United Progressive People of Kinabalu Organisation". Bernama. Malaysiakini. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Upko is now part of PH". Free Malaysia Today. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "UPKO/PDS". Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  6. ^ "PBS, UPKO, PBRS urged to regroup or merge under one political party". Bernama. The Borneo Post. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  7. ^ Regina Lim (2008). Federal-state Relations in Sabah, Malaysia: The Berjaya Administration, 1976-85. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 129.
  8. ^ a b "Sabah-based Upko targets Orang Asli". New Straits Times. 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  9. ^ Nancy Lai (18 September 2014). "Upko pledges to help achieve 'ideal Malaysia'". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  10. ^ "Bernard Dompok quits as Upko president". The Malaysian Times. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  11. ^ Kristy Inus; Laili Ismail (6 March 2014). "Dompok resigns as Upko president". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  12. ^ Boo Su-Lyn (27 April 2013). "Christians to continue using 'Allah' despite government appeal, says Dompok". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 28 April 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  13. ^ Clara Chooi (9 August 2012). "Dr M 'insensitive' for defending Sabah illegals, says UPKO". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Upko also wants ISA reviewed". Daily Express. 23 September 2008. Archived from the original on 24 September 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  15. ^ Sadho Ram (12 May 2018). "Sabah Musical Chairs To End With Shafie Swearing In As Chief Minister Tonight". Says.com. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  16. ^ Alyaa Azhar (11 May 2018). "Six switch sides, Warisan has majority with 35 seats". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Upko undergoes rebranding". Borneo Post. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Upko officially joins Pakatan". The Star. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.

External links

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