TUARAN, Oct 13 — The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) has defended its proposal to contest under its own logo in the upcoming Sabah state election, describing it as a mark of political autonomy and a strategic reflection of local identity — and not disloyalty to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Tuaran Upko Youth chief Rayner Ebi said the move was in line with the autonomy granted to Sabah PH by chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who had acknowledged the coalition’s right to determine its own political strategy and direction at the state level.
“During the Sabah PH leadership meeting on May 29, 2025, the prime minister stated that Sabah PH has four leaders representing its component parties, with overall coordination led by Sabah PH chairman Datuk Ewon Benedick,” Rayner said in a statement today.
He said this showed that the federal leadership respected Sabah’s distinct political context, and Upko’s proposal was made within that same spirit of trust and partnership.
“The suggestion to use the party’s own logo should not be seen as a sign of disloyalty, but as a strategic choice that recognises Sabah’s identity. Sabah PH has always practised consultation and consensus,” he said.
Rayner said that flexibility in logo use was not new to PH, citing the 2022 Johor state election, where PKR used its party logo while Amanah and DAP used the Pakatan Harapan logo.
“This example shows PH’s openness to diverse strategies under one umbrella of cooperation. Loyalty should not be questioned over this,” he said, adding that Upko remains firmly committed to working within the PH framework.
He added that Upko was confident the PH Presidential Council would deliberate on the matter wisely, in line with the coalition’s tradition of unity and maturity.
Upko’s proposal to use their own logo was first floated by Ewon over the weekend, and drew mixed reactions within the national coalition.
Tuaran PKR chief Razeef Rakimin warned that the move could raise doubts about Upko’s commitment to PH, saying it might give the impression the party was preparing to “quit the coalition en bloc”.
“If the Sabah Pakatan Harapan chairman himself is not confident in using the PH logo, then it’s better for him to step down as chairman. Usually, when a party insists on using its own logo, it’s a sign that they’re preparing to move out en bloc — and there are already signs of that happening,” he said on his Facebook account.
He was also quoted by Free Malaysia Today saying that it was ironic because Ewon was Upko president and also the Sabah PH chairman.
Upko, which joined PH in 2021, is among the coalition’s four components in Sabah alongside DAP, PKR and Amanah.
The state polls are expected to be held next month, though the official date has yet to be announced by the Election Commission.