PBDS: Sarawak federal ministers must show courage like Ewon Benedick in defending MA63

KUCHING (Nov 9): Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) has called on Sarawak leaders serving in the federal government to emulate Datuk Ewon Benedick’s act of political integrity by standing up for state rights even if it means giving up their ministerial positions.

In a statement, the party said the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister’s resignation over the issue of Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement was an act of “true political integrity and loyalty to his rights and dignity of his state and its people.”

“PBDS believes that Sarawak’s federal ministers should also take similar moral courage when the federal government continues to disregard critical issues affecting Sarawak.

“These include the unresolved matters surrounding Petronas’ control over Sarawak’s oil and gas resources, the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and other constitutional and financial injustices that have long undermined Sarawak’s autonomy and prosperity,” the statement read.

The party stressed that genuine representation in the federal Cabinet must be grounded in defending state rights, not personal or political convenience.

“The people of Sarawak deserve leaders who are brave enough to stand for the truth, even if it means stepping away from the comfort of office,” PBDS added.

It urged Sarawakian ministers and leaders to “uphold the same spirit of state dignity and integrity” exemplified by Ewon, and to take a clear stand in protecting Sarawak’s constitutional rights.

Ewon announced his resignation from the federal Cabinet yesterday, citing a matter of principle over the federal government’s stance on Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement.

The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president said his decision was prompted by the written judgment of the Kota Kinabalu High Court on the judicial review filed by the Sabah Law Society (SLS), which ruled on the interpretation of Sabah’s constitutional rights under Article 112C of the Federal Constitution.

“I cannot agree with the position taken by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), which I believe disregards the historical basis of Malaysia’s formation, particularly the conditions under which Sabah joined the Federation in 1963,” he said in a Facebook post.

Ewon added that since the AGC serves as the legal adviser to the Prime Minister and the federal government, it would be “highly inappropriate” for him to remain in the Cabinet given their position on the matter.