The distribution of seats among cooperating parties must be new: Ewon

4 February 2024

By Wartawan Nabalu News

SIPITANG: President of the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO), Datuk Ewon Benedick, said that the distribution of seats among cooperating parties in the upcoming State Election (PRN) must be new and fresh.

He stated that this is important to avoid claims for old seats and to ensure that seat allocation is distributed more fairly among all component parties cooperating in the upcoming PRN.

"We understand that all parties will present their views and demands. That is why I say that the discussion must be something fresh and new. UPKO is always open to discussing and finding a point of agreement on the demands presented by each party.

"What is important is that the new parties and the new coalition formed should not demand seats solely because the assemblymen who switched parties are already in their party, therefore the seats should be given to that coalition," he said.

He said this when met by reporters after officiating the UPKO Zone E Convention (Sipitang and Labuan Federal Territory) at the Lundayeh Sabah Cultural Center in Sipitang, yesterday.

Therefore, Ewon requested that the seat distribution be discussed fresh and carefully during the upcoming state elections.

"The discussion must be something fresh and new when we discuss the matter of cooperation in the upcoming Sabah state elections and the determination of seats contested by the cooperating parties in the upcoming state elections," he said.

He stated that the discussion of seat distribution is also important because there is no coalition with the same components as now compared to 2020, it is already very different.

"Hence, the discussion on the distribution of political cooperation seats during the upcoming state elections must be a new discussion. No one can claim that a seat belongs to them just because their assemblyman from that party has switched to a new party and a new coalition has been formed after the elections.

"I also disagree with the notion that the victory of old seats won by assemblymen on a different ticket and now switching to a new party determines that the seat should belong to that particular coalition," he said.