Upko now part of GRS

PETALING JAYA: Upko is now officially part of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), after the coalition unanimously agreed to welcome Ewon Benedick’s party into its fold.

GRS chairman Hajiji Noor said the decision to admit Upko was made at its Supreme Council meeting today, Sinar Harian reported.

“Starting today, it is officially a GRS component. We will inform Upko of the decision,” Hajiji, who is also Sabah chief minister, was quoted as saying.

Hajiji said GRS’s decision to admit Upko into the coalition was also in line with its “Sabah United, Sabah First” stance.

Upko applied to become a GRS component on May 29 after the party’s Supreme Council unanimously resolved to join the ruling coalition.

The party is currently part of the state government, with Ewon serving as one of its three deputy chief ministers.

Upko was part of Barisan Nasional from 1994 until 2018. It left the coalition after the 14th general election in 2018 to form the Sabah government with Warisan and Pakatan Harapan.

It then formally joined PH in August 2021 and contested under the coalition’s banner in Sabah during the 15th general election the following year.

Upko however quit PH in November 2025 after Ewon resigned as federal entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, citing the party’s principle in upholding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Sabah’s constitutional rights.

Hajiji went on to dismiss the notion that GRS’s other components were concerned about Upko’s admission.

“There’s no concern. Everyone agreed as we want to strengthen GRS.”

With Upko’s admission into GRS, the coalition now comprises six components. The other five are Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), which Hajiji is president; Parti Bersatu Sabah; Liberal Democratic Party; Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah; and Parti Cinta Sabah.