FACTIONS in United Pasok Momogun Kadazan-Dusun Murut Organisation (Upko) have left the party in disarray, but party leaders say the problem is not serious.

Cracks in Upko began to show in May when the party crossed over from Barisan Nasional to join Parti Warisan Sabah and Pakatan Harapan to form the state government.

There was an apparent falling out between senior leaders, even as BN called on Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau to vacate his parliamentary seat.

Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal said Tangau had admitted the party had problems, but had said that they were not new problems.

“There are some internal problems but according to the president (Tangau), they do not have a serious impact on the party,” said Shafie.

“I was also taken aback when I heard the news of Upko members leaving the party yesterday. But we are part of the Warisan-led government and we will do our best to help Upko,” he said on the defection of a senior Upko member.

Two days ago, Upko Youth leader Arthur Sen abruptly resigned from the party without giving a reason. Sen had been a party member since 2001.

Deputy Youth chief Kennedy John said while Sen’s departure had come as a surprise to everyone, it could be just one of the adjustments the party was making as a new partner to Warisan and PH.

“There are factions in Upko, but perhaps it is just the way Upko members naturally react to their new political environment,” he said.

Upko secretary-general Donald Mojuntin denied claims Upko was falling apart, saying the resignations of Sen and Supreme Council member Haji Suip Saniman were separate issues.

“As for the resignations in Upko Putatan, the headquarters have yet to receive any official notification,” said Mojuntin.

“The fact is that there has been an increase in the number of applications to join Upko in the last couple of months… to say Upko is cracking is inaccurate. The party remains solid and steadfast.”

He said all Upko branches were also holding their triennial meetings in preparation for the party congress on October 12 and 13.

But a political observer is not buying it.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah lecturer Lee Kuok Tiung anticipated the departure of more Upko  members, even as the party struggled to justify its decision to abandon BN and work with Warisan.

He believed the members’ decision to quit could be due to their inability to accept that decision.

“It was a rash decision that left party members in a dilemma. Just imagine attacking Warisan and PH all this while, and you suddenly cross over and expect all the members to accept it,” he was quoted as saying in Free Malaysia Today.

Tangau’s continuing rivalry with vice-president Ewon Ebin, which took root two general elections ago, is also taking a toll on the stability of Upko.

Ewon had lost the contest for the deputy presidency to Tangau by eight votes in 2013. Ewon had challenged the results, alleging there were 415 ballot papers when only 405 delegates were registered to vote.

Meanwhile, Tangau has been under pressure to quit his Tuaran parliamentary seat.  

About 150 voters took to the streets on July 15 calling for him to vacate the seat because he had violated their trust by crossing over to the ruling coalition.

Sabah saw a hung state assembly when BN tied with Warisan-PH at 29 seats each, a result that had made Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku the kingmaker.

But at the last minute, Upko offered all its seats to Warisan-PH to give the coalition the majority it needed to form the state government.

Many were outraged by the move, which resulted in Tangau being branded a “leapfrog” – a term that goes back to the fall of Parti Bersatu Sabah in the 1990s. PBS had been forced to concede defeat after losing the majority with the departure of party assemblymen.

Among those who left were Bernard Dompok, who formed Parti Demokratik Sabah before going on to found Upko. – July 25, 2018.