FORMER Sabah DAP leader Datuk Frankie Poon has challenged all Sabah MPs holding federal positions to resign en masse if Putrajaya files an appeal against the High Court’s ruling affirming Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement.
Poon said he fully supported UPKO’s position that its president, Datuk Ewon Benedick, should step down from the Cabinet if the Attorney-General’s Chambers proceeds with an appeal.
“The 40 per cent entitlement is not a political issue — it is a constitutional right and the birthright of every Sabahan.
“The High Court’s decision is a long-overdue recognition of what has already been written into the Federal Constitution since the formation of Malaysia,” he said in a statement in Kota Kinabalu on Friday.
Poon who is the former Sabah DAP chairman and Tanjong Papat incumbent assemblyman, announced his departure from DAP on October 11.
He cited loss of “honesty, mutual respect and shared struggle” within its leadership as reason for his departure.
He said all Sabah MPs in the Federal Government must take a firm stand and demonstrate political courage.
“If the Federal Government appeals, then every Sabah MP in government should resign immediately as a show of solidarity with the people.
“Sabah has been left behind in infrastructure, education, healthcare and the economy. Enforcing the 40 per cent entitlement is not just about fairness, it’s about Sabah’s future,” he added.
Under the Sixth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, all MPs swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, a duty that includes upholding Sabah’s constitutional rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Poon reminded Putrajaya that Sabah was not merely one of 13 states, but one of three founding partners, alongside Sarawak and Malaya, that created the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
“Fulfilling the court’s decision will not weaken the federation but strengthen it. With a fairer share of resources, Sabah can drive its own growth and contribute more to the nation,” he said.
Poon warned that any attempt to challenge the ruling would be seen as a betrayal of MA63 and an affront to generations of Sabahans who have fought for justice and equality.
The Kota Kinabalu High Court on October 17 ruled that the federal government had acted unlawfully by withholding Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement for nearly five decades.
It also ordered both federal and state governments to review and settle the arrears within 180 days. - October 24, 2025
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