The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) formally applied to become a component party of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition on May 29, 2026, in a meeting with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who also chairs GRS [1, 2, 3].
This follows a unanimous decision by the UPKO Supreme Council on May 25 to seek membership in GRS, aiming to foster unity and cooperation among Sabah-based parties [1, 2, 3]. UPKO president Datuk Ewon Benedick said, "UPKO hopes to contribute towards the unity and cooperation of Sabah-based parties in strengthening efforts to develop Sabah’s future as well as championing rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the Federal Constitution" [2].
UPKO is currently represented federally by Ewon Benedick (Penampang) and Datuk Seri Madius Tangau (Tuaran), as well as three Sabah state assembly members, including Ewon and Tangau [2]. The party withdrew from the Pakatan Harapan coalition in November 2025 due to disagreements over Sabah’s constitutional rights and autonomy issues [2].
The GRS coalition now comprises five parties: Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Liberal Democratic Party, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, and Parti Cinta Sabah [1, 2]. UPKO’s "Sabah First" vision aligns closely with GRS’s Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 roadmap, which calls for stronger collaboration among local Sabah parties. Benedick noted, "The Sabah First vision championed by UPKO is in line with the GRS struggle through the Halatuju Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0, which needs to be strengthened through closer cooperation and unification of local parties in Sabah" [2, 3].
The next step awaits approval from the GRS coalition leadership, following the official submission made to Hajiji Noor on May 29.
