KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 10): Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick has submitted his resignation from the Cabinet on Monday over the government’s stance on Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement.
In a Facebook post, Ewon said that he has started taking his remaining leave.
Ewon, who is also president of the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) — a Sabah-based component party of Pakatan Harapan (PH) — said he will chair a special meeting of Upko’s supreme council to discuss the party’s “Sabah First” agenda, which he described as “the foundation of the party’s struggle as enshrined in its constitution”.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when met at an event Monday, labelled Ewon’s resignation “premature”, according to a Bernama report, saying the government is still reviewing Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement before deciding on its next steps.
A special Cabinet meeting will be held on Tuesday (Nov 11), Anwar added, to discuss whether to appeal a High Court decision that Sabah is entitled to 40% of revenue collected in the state.
Ewon joined the Cabinet on Dec 3, 2022, following a reshuffle, and later became Sabah PH chairman on Dec 1, 2024.
Ewon’s resignation follows Kota Kinabalu High Court judge Celestina Stuel Galid ruling last month that declared the federal government’s failure to fulfil Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement for nearly five decades as unlawful.
Galid ordered a review for the period from 1974 to 2021 to be made within 90 days, and for an agreement to be reached within 180 days from the date of the court order.
In a Facebook post on Saturday titled Penghakiman Bertulis 40% Sabah dan Pengunduran dari Kabinet Persekutuan, Ewon said his resignation was a matter of principle, following his review of Galid’s written judgement.
“The position and views expressed by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in the written judgment ignored the historical context of Malaysia’s formation, including the terms of Sabah’s agreement to join the Federation of Malaysia as set out in the foundational constitutional documents. I cannot agree with the AGC’s stance.”
“As the federal government’s legal adviser, it is very awkward for me to continue serving in the Cabinet while the AGC maintains this position. Their approach to Sabah’s 40% entitlement during my three years in the Cabinet is fundamentally at odds with my position as Upko president,” he said.
Sabah goes to the polls on Nov 29, 2025.
Read also:
KK High Court dismisses federal govt’s claim of 48-year Sabah revenue review over lack of proof
Anwar: Cabinet to decide Tuesday on appeal over Sabah’s 40% revenue ruling
PM to hold briefing, discuss Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, says Mohamad Sabu
Court orders Putrajaya to review Sabah's constitutionally-promised revenue entitlement, which hasn't been done since 1974