Upko fires Abidin Madingkir following failed Sabah coup

KOTA KINABALU: United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) has sacked its vice-president and Paginatan assemblyman, Datuk Abidin Madingkir (pic).

The decision was made by the party's supreme council members during a meeting on Thursday (July 30) night following Abidin's involvement with ex-chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman in the attempt to overthrow the state government of Sabah.

The party said this in a statement issued on Friday (July 31).

Abidin was among a number of assemblymen who defected and threw support behind Musa.

However, their attempts to form a new state government failed when Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal announced the dissolution of the state assembly on Thursday (July 30).

The sacking by Upko comes after Sabah PKR and Sabah DAP on Thursday sacked their assemblymen Kenny Chua (Inanam) and Ronnie Loh (nominated assemblyman) respectively for joining Musa's camp.

It is understood that another 10 assemblymen from Parti Warisan Sabah who defected also lost their membership automatically under the party's constitution.