UPKO Aims to Defend Penampang, Tuaran Seats in Upcoming Election

The United Kinabalu Progressive Party (UPKO) intends to defend its incumbent parliamentary seats of Penampang and Tuaran in the upcoming general election, party president Datuk Ewon Benedick announced. The party will formally communicate this objective to its coalition partners within the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

"For now, we will inform our friends and cooperation partners in GRS that we want to contest in Penampang and Tuaran, which are parliamentary seats we currently hold," Ewon stated. He added that discussions regarding additional seats would also take place, though he declined to elaborate further at this stage.

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For now, we will inform our friends and cooperation partners in GRS that we want to contest in Penampang and Tuaran, which are parliamentary seats we currently hold.

Speaking at the UPKO's 32nd anniversary and 17th Triennial Delegates Conference, Ewon acknowledged that seat exchanges between coalition parties are a recurring possibility. He referenced past instances involving state constituencies like Kadamaian and Bingkor, where such realignments occurred. "It is always a possibility. I myself have represented Kadamaian. Historically, there have been seat exchanges between Kadamaian and Bingkor before. So, seat exchanges can happen," he explained.

However, Ewon stressed that it is too early to determine any potential seat exchanges involving the Penampang and Kota Belud parliamentary seats. He indicated that these matters would be addressed in due course, prioritizing the conclusion of the UPKO congress and the initial Supreme Council meeting of GRS. UPKO is awaiting its participation in the first GRS Supreme Council meeting.

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It is always a possibility. I myself have represented Kadamaian. Historically, there have been seat exchanges between Kadamaian and Bingkor before. So, seat exchanges can happen.