Sabah PH bloc should be led by local party - Benedick

PENAMPANG - United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) vice-president Datuk Ewon Benedick has suggested for the Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) bloc to be led by a local party.

The Kadamaian State Assemblyman said he was of the view that political blocs should be led by a local party including Sabah PH.

"I think Upko can lead the Sabah PH bloc leadership in certain areas such as Penampang. The same goes for the state level.

"However, it must be discussed at the Sabah PH leadership level, especially ahead of the next election," he said after officiating the Upko Penampang triennial general meeting here, on Saturday.

Benedick said all political blocs in Sabah should be led by a local party and that there were no actual local political bloc in Sabah right now.

"This is due to the participation and dominance of the Peninsula-based parties in the existing political blocs, including the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) which is also dominated by Bersatu," he said.

He added that the country was established through the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) which embodies the aspiration and spirit of putting the state first (semangat kenegerian) when Malaysia was formed and this should be maintained for the decentralisation process of the federal administration to succeed.

"Upko welcomes any forms of a political bloc in Sabah, existing or new.

"But I think all the political blocs should be led by a local party. This includes Sabah PH," he said.