Joining Pakatan Harapan as a member of the opposition coalition was not a rushed decision, but a thought that had been brewing since October last year, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Wilfred Madius Tangau revealed.

The decision finally materialised when the Sabah-based Upko decided to back PKR president Anwar Ibrahim as their choice for prime minister in the middle of last month.

“That catalyses the process for us to become a member of Harapan because there's a need for the opposition to come together and unite,” said Madius in a recent interview with Malaysiakini.

According to the Tuaran MP, talks with Harapan’s top three leaders for “greater unity” among the opposition parties began after the Sabah state election last year.

Despite being approached by the Perikatan Nasional government for the party’s support for Budget 2021, Upko decided to remain in the opposition and stuck with its direction “for a truly new Malaysia” after rebranding itself as a multiracial party in 2019. Previously it was known as United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (also Upko), widely regarded as a Kadazan-Dusun-Murut-based party.

“In fact, at that time we expressed our interest to join...