MEMBAKUT: United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) has warned Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) against making promises it cannot keep, especially with regards to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Its president Datuk Seri Wildfred Madius Tangau said the MA63 was a serious and sensitive matter.
"To my friend (Umno president and former deputy prime minister) Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, don't simply make promises on MA63.
"This is a sensitive matter. Sabah did not have an official religion in line with what was agreed to in MA63. Is Zahid willing to grant this (remove Islam as the official religion of Sabah)?” he said, during an Upko meet-and-greet session with Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) villagers at Kampung Matujung, here.
According to Madius, Islam was made the official religion in Sabah when the state constitution was amended in 1973.
Last week, Umno president and former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Barisan Nasional would fulfil 100 per cent of what’s in MA63 it it returns to power.
Madius, who is also Sabah’s deputy chief minister, hit out at Umno and other opposition leaders for labelling Upko as traitor after it left BN to work with Parti Warisan Sabah and PH in the last general election.
He noted Umno leaders had once told Upko to quit BN following the party's objection over resettlement of squatters from the Sri Tanjung colony in Putatan to Kampung Maang, Penampang in 2006.
It was reported that Upko had opposed the state government's decision to relocate the residents, who were foreigners with identity cards, to the KDM village, without consulting Upko president and Penampang MP Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok.
"We objected this and Upko leaders even held a demonstration against the plan. Following that, (state) Umno MPs accused us of being confrontational and said (Upko) can leave BN. They wanted us out and today, they want to be a hero for the Sabah people." he added.