Benedick gets a hero’s welcome in Penampang

Mission accomplished: Benedick (right) celebrating his victory on Saturday night.

KOTA KINABALU: Incoming Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick has helped return the party’s former stronghold of Penampang which has been held by Parti Warisan for the last nine years.

Upko had held the semi-urban seat with a strong Kadazandusun voter majority for three terms between 1999 and 2013 when it was a component party of Barisan Nasional before it fell to Warisan in the 2013 General Election.