Upko deputy president Donald Peter Mojuntin said the talks needed to be held earlier as the number of parties involved would make it challenging.

Currently, the GRS-led Sabah government comprises representatives from Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), Pakatan Harapan and a handful of Umno assemblymen.

“Available seats in any election are always limited, there are 73 in Sabah’s case. No party can claim that it has the majority support in all constituencies.

“GRS has seven component parties, it is also working together with PH which has four component parties. This is what forms the unity government in Sabah at present,” Mojuntin told FMT.

Previously, Upko president Ewon Benedick had said the party aimed to contest more seats in the next Sabah polls and called for a fresh formula on seat allocations among parties in the GRS-led Sabah government.

In response, Gagasan Rakyat Supreme Council member John Ambrose said Upko should not demand seats that the PH component had “no chance of winning”.

Upko secretary-general Nelson Angang then defended Ewon, saying the party’s success in winning two parliamentary seats in the 2022 general election was proof it could contest more state seats.