Abbreviation SAPP Secretary-General Richard Yong We Kong Youth Chief Jamain Sarudin | President Yong Teck Lee Spokesperson Chong Pit Fah | |
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Deputy President Amde Sidik
Melanie Chia Chui Ket
Edward Dagul | ||
The Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Maju Sabah) is a multiracial political party based in Sabah, Malaysia. It was registered on 21 January 1994 by dissidents led by former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). Formerly a component party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, SAPP officially withdrew from BN in September 2008 to become independent. As of 2010, SAPP has two representatives in the national legislature and two in the Sabah State Assembly.
Withdrawal from Barisan Nasional
The SAPP won two parliamentary seats in the general election held on 8 March 2008. After the 2008 election, there were calls by many Sabahan political parties for more autonomy from the Malaysian federal government.
SAPP President Yong Teck Lee announced on 18 June 2008 that the party would file a no-confidence motion in the Dewan Rakyat on 23 June against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, calling on him to step down. The party, criticising what it described as insensitivity on the part of the government towards issues in Sabah, said that it was taking advantage of a unique "window of opportunity" for the sake of Sabah interests, including autonomy, return of Labuan and 20% of oil revenues.
The majority of the Sabah population are generally content with the SAPP no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who has been accused a number of wrongdoings including corruption and abuse of power. In retaliation for calling for a vote of no-confidence against Abdullah, the Barisan Nasional supreme council issued a show-cause letter to SAPP. A 30-day period was to give SAPP a chance to reply and defend itself before Barisan Nasional took any action against them.
On 17 September 2008, SAPP quit Barisan Nasional. Nevertheless, the decision came at a price as the party's deputy president, one of its vice-presidents, and its youth chief (who chose to remain within the BN fold) all opposed the move and withdrew from the party. Some 2,000 members of the party similarly disagreed from the move and left the party, showing support for these dissident leaders.