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DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has accused former Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick of grandstanding over Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement, arguing that his resignation was more a bid for public sympathy than an act of courage.
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, Loke stressed that the Federal Cabinet had convened a special meeting on 11 November specifically to address the matter, underscoring its national importance.
He said the Cabinet reached a unanimous decision not to appeal the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s ruling upholding Sabah’s entitlement, but agreed that parts of the judgment had to be challenged.
“After thorough debate, the Cabinet reached a consensus to not appeal the court’s ruling on Sabah’s 40 per cent rights, but the government agreed to appeal specific grounds in the court judgment that could imply that the Federal Government since 1974 had ‘misused its powers’,” he said.
“If we do not challenge that particular finding, it would mean the current government is admitting, on behalf of past administrations, to misuse of power. That would carry criminal implications.”
Loke dismissed Ewon’s repeated claims that the Cabinet had sidelined Sabah’s interests, pointing out that Ewon himself had been absent from the crucial meeting convened to address the issue.
“Ewon keeps harping on this issue, trying to project himself as a hero but the truth is he was not present at the special Cabinet meeting and the Attorney General appeared before the Cabinet to explain the matter and Ewon knew about the meeting yet he did not show up,” he said.
“If he is so brave, why didn’t he come to Cabinet and confront the AG? Why didn’t he state his arguments formally and have them recorded? In fact, he avoided it.”
He added that although Ewon announced his resignation on 8 November, it has yet to take legal effect and the former minister remains a member of the Cabinet until December, currently away on leave.
In a separate statement, Loke affirmed that both DAP and the unity government were committed to working with Sabah to implement the 40 per cent entitlement progressively through proper legal and administrative channels.
“As Cabinet ministers, we have a duty to safeguard the unity of the Federation. Appealing the entitlement could be exploited by certain individuals to inflame emotions, stir anti-federal sentiment and influence Sabah voters. Our responsibility is to defend the Federation and uphold its unity,” he said.
He added that DAP Sabah had consistently championed the state’s entitlement, saying, “It cannot remain just on paper. We have consistently pressed Putrajaya on this matter and were the first political group to take legal action, demonstrating our firm commitment.” - November 17, 2025