KOTA KINABALU, 14 Sept 2008: The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut
Organisation (Upko) hopes the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) will remain within the Barisan Nasional (BN) fold, despite its criticism of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of late.
Upko vice-president Senator Maijol Mahap said today that the SAPP had contributed a lot to political stability in Sabah and the country as a whole.
"SAPP is a senior partner in the BN coalition and I hope they will remain (in
the BN)," he told Bernama.
The SAPP had announced it would hold a special meeting on 17 Sept and discuss its status as a component of the BN.
SAPP president Datuk Yong Teck Lee had said in June the party had lost confidence in Abdullah and that its two Members of Parliament (MPs) – Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) – would support any motion for a vote of no-confidence on the prime minister.
This resulted in the BN supreme council issuing a show-cause letter to the SAPP, to which it responded to, but the BN has yet to decide on the matter.
Maijol said the SAPP’s departure from the BN would be "something unfortunate although it is not surprising and expected".
Replying to a question, he said the SAPP’s departure from the BN would not affect the strength of the coalition though it would lose two MPs.
He also did not think the "loss" of the two MPs would trigger defections of BN MPs to the opposition. – Bernama
