Pandikar with some other dissident United Sabah Party (PBS) of Dusun and Bajau ethnic-based leaders namely Mark Koding and Kalakau Untol formed the People's Justice Front (AKAR) in 1989. In 1999, he was appointed as a Senator and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department until 2002. He was president of AKAR, that had joined to be one of the BN component parties in Sabah, at that time. The party was dissolved to enable its members to join United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 2001.
