RANAU: Upko co-founder cum supreme council member Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin on Tuesday announced he is quitting the party along with some 5,000 members, including Ranau Division committee members, here, Tuesday.
He cited the failure of the Upko leadership and the Government to resolve the longstanding illegal immigrant problem in Sabah and the inconsistent stand of the party’s top leaders over the issue.
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His resignation comes after another former Upko leader, Datuk Marcus Mojigoh, who was the Putatan Upko Chief, resigned from the party on Jan 27.
“After consulting with leaders of the division and branches as well as Ranau Upko members, I, along with members of the division’s committee, Youth, Women and Komulakan movements, as well as members numbering around 5,000 plus resigned from Upko and relinquished all our positions with immediate effect,” he said.
“The direction and struggles of Upko have gone far off its original goal to protect and defend the welfare and interest of members, the indigenous Sabahans and other Malaysians from Sabah.
“Although the Warisan-led State Government had called off the issuance of the Temporary Sabah Pass (PSS), there are still talks among leaders from the ruling parties that the PSS will still be implemented. It will be modified so it can be accepted by the people,” he told a press conference at the Lohan Rest House.
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Ewon also claimed that many party members and supporters in the division felt sidelined by the current Paginatan Assemblyman Datuk Abidin Madingkir.
Asked about his political future, Ewon said he and his group would take a break from politics and will make a press statement once any decision is made.
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He refused to comment on whether his alliance would be with a pro-government group or the opposition, but said “we will support everything good that the Government implements and oppose anything that is not favourable and go against the people’s interests.”
Upko Ranau has over 120 branches.
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Ewon, who is also a former Ranau MP, had served as the party’s vice-president, the divisional head for Kundasang which was renamed Ranau, as well as the organising chairman of the Parti Demokratik Sabah (PDS), which was later named Upko on Oct 30, 1999.
Among those present to pledge support for Ewon were Sualim Gopog (Permanent Chairman), Aliyu Zinin (Vice Chief I), Datuk Matius Satur (Vice Chief III), Eldy Yakin Sinit (Youth Chief), Helimin Saping (Assistant Secretary), Susin Ahmad (Treasurer), Malakim Gapang (Information Chief), Apirin Jahalan@Taufik Dahlan (Organising Secretary) and committee members, including Masiton Daransun, Simon Gindalu and Berryvictor Daik (Komulakan).
