KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, Division Chief of United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) Penampang and also Deputy President called on the party’s youth wing to deepen grassroots engagement and prepare for future leadership roles.
Speaking at the Tri‑Annual General Meeting of the UPKO Penampang Youth Movement, Donald praised the youth leadership for their ongoing commitment to strengthening the party at grassroots level and urged members to move beyond party circles to build broader public trust.
“The Youth Movement is no longer a wing learning to walk,” he said. “You are present leaders being prepared to take on greater responsibility.”
He told delegates that many already possess careers, family commitments and wide organisational, community and political experience, and said he saw within the movement the potential to produce future UPKO candidates for state and parliamentary seats.
Donald warned that political opportunities “do not arrive by themselves” and must be built through long-term work on the ground.
He urged youth members to be visible across society, engaging young people, women, the elderly, the business community, and both urban and rural populations.
They should address everyday concerns such as the cost of living, employment, education, water supply, roads, healthcare, housing, economic opportunities and security.
The deputy president also emphasised UPKO’s commitment to representing all Sabahans, stressing the state’s strength lies in its diversity.
He reiterated the party’s dedication to Sabah’s rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), describing “Sabah First” as a commitment rather than an empty slogan.
Donald defended UPKO’s unanimous decision to join the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), framing it as a step towards stronger unity among local parties for the state’s future.
“Sabah First means finding common ground to defend Sabah’s rights and strengthen Sabah’s position within the Federation,” he said.
On tactics, he urged the youth wing to combine traditional outreach with savvy use of digital platforms. “Use social media and multimedia platforms wisely, creatively and strategically,” he said, encouraging members to be content creators, convey factual information and counter misinformation while maintaining integrity and credibility.
Donald closed by stressing that leadership must be earned through service. “The people’s trust must be earned through work, sacrifice and continuous service,” he said, before officiating the meeting.-pr/BNN
