Upko president Ewon Benedick said the party’s three assemblymen were not only elected to represent their three constituencies, but also to defend Sabah’s dignity and regain the state’s rights.

He said the three Upko assemblymen had told Hajiji, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman, they believed he could form a state government fully comprising local parties.

“Of course, YAB Hajiji is more than capable of determining the composition of the Sabah state Cabinet,” he said in a statement.

Upko withdrew from PH days before nominations for the 17th Sabah state election, citing unresolved differences with the coalition’s components over Sabah’s right to 40% of federal revenue collected from the state.

The party increased its representation in the state assembly from one to three yesterday, through Ewon (Kadamaian), deputy president Donald Peter Mojuntin (Moyog) and former party president Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tamparuli).

PH only won one seat, with former GRS man Jamawi Jaafar elected the Melalap assemblyman.

Ewon, the three-term Kadamaian assemblyman, said what was important to Upko was that the relationship between the federal and state governments was based on the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sabah’s rights under the constitution.

He also urged all Sabahans to unite following the conclusion of the state polls to develop Sabah and regain its rights together.

“The results of this state election should serve as a lesson and preparation for the next general election, so that the ‘Sabah First’ agenda can be upheld,” he said.