Yeo Kai Seng Mohd. Noor Mansoor Joseph Voon Shin Choi Murshidi Nambi Yong Tet Yin Awang Talip Awang Bagul Geoffrey Yee Lung Fuk Francis Yapp Tai Nyen Chong Kon Fui
The Sabah Progressive Party (Malay: Parti Maju Sabah, abbreviated SAPP)[1] 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 United Sabah Party. Formerly a component party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, SAPP officially withdrew from BN in September 2008 to become independent.[2] As of 2010, SAPP has two representatives in the national legislature and two in the Sabah State Assembly. In 2016, the party together with Homeland Solidarity Party formed the United Sabah Alliance.[3] It later joined the United Alliance together with STAR and PBS in 2018. The SAPP became the main component party of the national opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Sabah state ruling coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), the successor of United Alliance that was established in 2020 and registered in 2022. SAPP later withdrew from PN in 2024 after PN decided to contest in the 2025 Sabah state election, of which SAPP strongly disagreed with, based on its principle that the state election should only be contested by local coalitions and parties of Sabah, of which PN is not.[4]
History
Formation, joining Barisan Nasional
The party was formed on 21 January 1994, by factions of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) led by its vice-president Yong Teck Lee, who disagrees with directions the PBS leader Joseph Pairin Kitingan is taking the party and state. Yong, who were the Deputy Chief Minister under Pairin, togethers with members of his faction, resigns from PBS on the day of SAPP's formation.[5] The party was registered just in time to enter the 1994 Sabah state election, which SAPP entered under the banner of Barisan Nasional, and won 3 seats out of seven SAPP contested.
When BN regains control of the state on March that year after further defections from PBS, SAPP were part of the government in Sabah. Yong were appointed as the state's Chief Minister from 1996 to 1998, under then rotation system between Muslim bumiputera, Non-Muslim bumiputera, and Chinese leaders for two year tenure each.
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.[6][7] The majority of the Sabah population are generally content with the SAPP no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Abdullah 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 BN supreme council issued a show-cause letter to SAPP.[8] A 30-day period was to give SAPP a chance to reply and defend itself before BN took any action against them.[9]
On 17 September 2008, SAPP quit Barisan Nasional.[10] Nevertheless, the decision came at a price as the party's deputy president, one of its vice-presidents,[11] and its youth chief (who chose to remain within BN) all opposed the move and withdrew from the party.[12] Some 2,000 members of the party similarly disagreed from the move and left the party, showing support for these dissident leaders.[13]
