KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 — The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) is the latest party to throw their support behind Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to become the eighth prime minister. 

Its president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, who also holds the party’s single seat in Parliament, said that the Upko Supreme Council unanimously supports Dr Mahathir to lead the administration in order to defend the mandate given by the people to Pakatan Harapan (PH) in GE14. 

The Tuaran MP said the decision was made this morning at a supreme council meeting, which he chaired, at the party’s headquarters to decide on the party’s stand in the Federal leadership crisis.

"Upko does not want this political turmoil to prolong. We are consistent in accordance with the decision made in the last election, where Upko left Barisan Nasional and worked with Sabah Heritage Party (Warisan) and PH to form a new Sabah coalition government.

"Therefore, the supreme council has decided to support Mahathir’s leadership,” he said in a statement.

Earlier today, PH’s presidential council in a statement said it was stating its full support for Dr Mahathir as the candidate to be prime minister.

It was also reported today that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has met with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to present PH’s statement letter of changing its stance to nominate Dr Mahathir as prime minister instead.

Yesterday, PH had said it was backing Anwar to be its candidate for prime minister.