first to be presided over entirely by East Malaysians; Pandikar and his deputies, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Ronald Kiandee, hail from either Sabah or Sarawak. In mid-May, after Parliament convened, Pandikar resigned as Kota Marudu UMNO division chief, citing the need to be a neutral presiding officer. He denied his resignation was linked to possible party-switching amongst UMNO MPs from East Malaysia. Ahead of the 2018 general elections, Pandikar announced his intention to contest, thus enable his possible prospect to be a more active federal-elected politician after serving as a non-MP Speaker for two terms. Somehow he was not picked as candidate to contest the elections that saw the downfall of BN in both the federal and state governments. Despite his appointment to the UMNO's supreme council later on 14 July 2018; he decided to quit UMNO on 12 December 2018 along with other Sabah UMNO assemblymen to be independents. USNO Baru Pandikar had joined USNO Baru and appointed its Chairman Strategic Advisory Council in July 2019. He then contested Pintasan state seat in September 2020 Sabah state election under USNO Baru but together with all the party candidates were defeated. Pandikar was officially elected party president in February 2021. Election results Honours : Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (JSM) (1992) Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) - Tan Sri (2002) : Grand Knight of the Order of the Territorial Crown (SUMW) - Datuk Seri Utama (2008) : Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of State (DUPN) - Dato' Seri Utama (2013) : Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) - Datuk (1995) Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) - Datuk Seri Panglima (2010) References 1955 births Living people People from Sabah Bajau people Malaysian Muslims 20th-century Malaysian lawyers United Sabah National Organisation politicians Former United Malays National Organisation politicians People's Justice Front politicians Members of the Dewan Negara Speakers of the Dewan Rakyat Government ministers of Malaysia Members of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speakers of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly Alumni of the University of Wolverhampton Members of Lincoln's Inn Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu Grand Commanders of the Order of Kinabalu Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia Companions of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia 21st-century Malaysian politicians