FORMER Beluran Umno chief James Ratib, who quit the party after the May 9 general election, is now a United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) supreme council member.

Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau confirmed that Ratib came on board when the new Sabah government was formed.

“Ratib is one of the new appointments, following the conclusion of the party’s conference recently,” he said during Upko’s first supreme council meeting today.

The conference, held a week ago, also sealed Tangau’s position as party president, replacing former Vatican envoy Bernard Dompok.

Ratib was among the Umno members who switched sides to support the Parti Warisan Sabah-Pakatan Harapan-Upko alliance after the 14th general election.

They made the move on May 11, when they went to Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal’s home in Bundusan, Penampang, giving the alliance the majority to form the state government.

The others who defected were Osman Jamal (Balung assemblyman), Abdul Muis Picho (Sebatik), Hamisa Samat (Tanjong Batu) and Jamawi Jaafar (Kemabong).

Osman and Ratib previously applied to join PKR, but were turned down by the party’s state chief, Christina Liew. – October 19, 2018.