PENAMPANG, July 4 – The Penampang division of the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) has unanimously approved a motion proposing that the party’s President and Deputy President posts remain uncontested in the upcoming party elections.

The motion, tabled by UPKO Tulung branch chief Felix Sikou, was endorsed by delegates during the UPKO Penampang Triennial Delegates Meeting held at Dewan Ramayah on Saturday.

Presenting the motion, Felix said the proposal was not intended to undermine democratic practices within the party but to ensure UPKO remains united, stable and focused on preparations for Malaysia’s 17th General Election (GE17).

He said the country’s evolving political landscape requires stable leadership to ensure the party’s organisational work continues without disruption.

“If the positions of President and Deputy President remain uncontested for this term, the party’s leadership and members can fully concentrate on strengthening the organisation, expanding public support and mobilising the party machinery at all levels in preparation for the next general election,” he said.

Felix added that contests for other leadership positions could still proceed, providing opportunities to nurture a new generation of leaders while preserving democratic participation within the party.

“This demonstrates that the party continues to uphold democratic principles and provides members with opportunities to contribute to the organisation’s development,” he said.

The triennial delegates meeting was officiated by UPKO President Datuk Ewon Benedick.

Felix said the motion was also aimed at preserving party unity and ensuring leadership continuity as UPKO prepares for the next general election.

“Our struggle is not merely about choosing leaders, but about ensuring UPKO remains a strong and united platform for the people of Sabah, ready to face future political challenges,” he said.

During the same meeting, delegates also unanimously approved a separate motion urging the party leadership to push for an increase in parliamentary and state assembly seats in Penampang through a future electoral redelineation exercise.

The motion was presented by UPKO Penampang Youth chief Billy Joe Dominick, who proposed the creation of a new Kapayan parliamentary constituency comprising the Bahang and Ganang state seats, while the existing Penampang parliamentary constituency would consist of the Moyog and Limbanak state seats.

Billy Joe said additional parliamentary and state seats are needed to reflect Penampang’s growing population, rapid development and urban expansion.

“The proposed redelineation is necessary because Penampang has experienced significant population growth and urban development, requiring more balanced and effective political representation,” he said.

He added that increasing the number of parliamentary and state constituencies would improve administrative efficiency and public service delivery by allowing elected representatives to focus on smaller and more manageable constituencies.

Both motions received support from UPKO Kampung Babah Youth chief Rajani Jojo, UPKO Kampung Sarapung branch chief Gina Chau, UPKO Penampang Deputy Youth Chief Alex John Gintos, and Charles Liew of UPKO Kapayan.