UNITED Kinabalu Progressive Organisation (Upko) has come to the defence of its president Datuk Ewon Benedick, saying his remark on Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement were consistent with the Westminster principle of ministerial responsibility, not an act of defiance against the federal cabinet.
Benedick said he would resign from the federal cabinet if the federal government decided to file an appeal to challenge the high court ruling over the “lost years.”
Upko secretary-general and senator Datuk Nelson W. Angang said Ewon was merely upholding the democratic convention that a minister who cannot agree with a government decision on grounds of principle has the right, and duty, to take a clear stand.
“Ewon was acting within the Westminster framework. If a minister finds himself unable to support a cabinet position in good conscience, the honourable thing to do is to state his principle,” Nelson said in a statement on Tuesday.
Angang was responding to earlier remarks by Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim, who questioned the actions of several Sabah leaders after they voiced opposition to any federal appeal against the High Court’s ruling affirming the state’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement.
He added that such actions are neither rare nor rebellious in parliamentary democracies, noting that many ministers in the United Kingdom have resigned over issues of principle.
“It is not about challenging authority; it is about maintaining integrity,” he said.
Angang said Benedick’s position on the 40 per cent entitlement is in line with Upko’s long-standing struggle for the full implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“His commitment is deeply rooted in our party’s constitution and history.
“Ewon’s views on MA63 and Sabah’s constitutional rights are well-known; they come from conviction, not politics,” he said.
He also stressed that while the Attorney-General’s Chambers has the right to appeal the recent Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling, not every decision needs to be contested.
On October 17, the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruled that the Federal Government had acted unlawfully by failing to honour Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue collected from the state since 1973.
“Appeals should be made on merit and justice, not merely out of habit,” he said.
Angang urged leaders in Peninsular Malaysia to understand the depth of Sabah’s sentiment on the issue, adding that the High Court’s decision was a chance for Malaysia to reset its course.
“The Federal Government has not fulfilled this obligation since 1973. “This is the moment to rebuild trust and honour the promises of MA63, not to reopen old wounds,” he said. - October 21, 2025
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