Upko president Ewon Benedick has stated that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) position on Sabah’s 40% revenue share case supports his decision to resign from the Cabinet.
The AGC announced yesterday that the federal government will not contest the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s ruling from last month, which confirmed Sabah’s constitutional right to 40% of federal revenue derived from the state.
In its statement, the AGC highlighted “defects” in Justice Celestina Stuel Galid’s determination that a federal review after 2021 was unlawful, irrational, procedurally improper, and disproportionate.
“The federal government plans to appeal these defects,” the AGC added.
Ewon responded by acknowledging that the AGC’s position upholds Sabah’s revenue entitlement. However, he warned that an appellate court overturning other parts of the judgment could endanger Sabah’s overall claim to 40% of revenue generated in the state.
“An appeal is still an appeal. Even if it targets only certain grounds of the judgment, it is an appeal. I resigned on principle,” said the Penampang MP in a statement.
The AGC issued its statement after a special Cabinet meeting yesterday to address the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s October 17 decision. This followed a judicial review filed by the Sabah Law Society against the federal government.
The court found that Putrajaya had acted unlawfully by not fulfilling Sabah’s 40% revenue share for almost five decades.
Ewon stepped down as minister of entrepreneur development and cooperatives on Saturday, citing the AGC’s approach to Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement.
He explained that the federal government’s failure to honour the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Sabah’s constitutional rights prompted his departure from the Cabinet.
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