UPKO elected representatives pledged their allegiance to Barisan Nasional chairman Musa Aman under duress on May 10. 

Kadamaian assemblyman Ewon Benedick said he was scared for his life when he and four other Upko elected representatives were called in by Musa after the state Umno chief saw a video of Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau meeting Warisan leader Shafie Apdal that day. 

 “Musa reacted angrily over the viral video and demanded me to call Madius, but the president was out of reach. Musa then called the five of us, and later the other BN reps, into the dining hall at Sri Gaya (the official residence of the chief minister).

 “Various statements were made inside the hall and for the first time I became anxious, and honestly, frightened,” he said. 

The other four Upko assemblymen are Pangitan assemblyman Abidin Madingkir, Kuamut assemblyman Masiung Banah, Nabawan assemblyman Bobbey Suan and Kuala Penyu assemblyman Limus Jury. 

Ewon said on the night of polling day, all the elected representatives were summoned to Sri Gaya and asked to sign a letter supporting Musa as chief minister. 

This comes after Musa secured the two Star seats – Bingkor and Tambunan.  

“At the same morning, I was informed that the Upko supreme council convened a special meeting, I wanted to attend, but it was not conducive for me to leave Sri Gaya,” he said. 

At press conference organised later, Ewon said all of the assemblymen were then herded before the media. He said he was unable to respond appropriately to the press as he has unable to contact the Upko leadership.

The Sabah Police Commissioner Ramli Din was then invited to Sri Gaya to check on them.

“If I had been with the party’s leadership I would not be that stressful at Sri Gaya and later were made audience to the head of state. 

“In my meeting with the head of state Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, I told him that I had not gone out of Sri Gaya all day. At the Istana, I was told to resign from Upko as the party leadership had abandoned BN. 

“I disagreed, as I needed to consult Upko leaders first on what had happened outside of Sri Gaya,” said Ewon on what happened the night Musa was sworn-in.

Ewon said when he finally got in touch with the Upko president, he said feared for his safety because he was unable to go out of Sri Gaya. 

But after he was able to speak to his leaders, he said he was determined to remain loyal with Upko, and Madingkir followed suit. 

Ewon and Madingkir remained with Upko, after Tangau, said the party have aligned itself with Warisan. 
Masiung and Limus Jury joined later, leaving only Bobbey Suan remaining with BN. – May 14, 2018.