Ewon
PENAMPANG (Nov 15): Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for Penampang, Datuk Ewon Benedick, questioned whether Warisan’s candidates in West Malaysia are talking about the Borneo Bloc or Reset Sabah.
He said that this was because the two issues were shouted by Warisan Sabah candidates in the 15th General Election talks.
“We all know Warisan is contesting at 25 parliament seats in Sabah and in West Malaysia, they are contesting 26 parliament seats, and also contesting at several state legislative assembly seats at states also carrying out their state election.
“Does this mean that Warisan has a Borneo Bloc and West Malaysia bloc? Who actually is dividing the people? Who is dividing his party?
“Have we ever heard of Warisan candidates in West Malaysia talking about the Borneo Bloc and Sabah’s rights? These are my questions.
“That vision has not become a reality because Parti Warisan itself is divided in terms of ideology,” he said in his speech at the Penampang parliament PH talk at Boulevard Hypermarket in Kapayan near here.
Ewon said Pakatan Harapan has 39 Offers of Hope for Malaysians in GE15 and six of them are specifically for Sabah.
He said that this includes the 40 percent revenue from Sabah region’s claim to be returned based on the original formula at Article 112C and Subsection 2(2) Part IV 10th Schedule in the Federal Constitution.
“I will ask the government to implement what we insert in the Harapan Hope, including Sabah’s 40 percent rights. This is our commitment and fight,” he said.
He also reiterated his determination not to withdraw the suit that had been filed in court together with all Sabah PH representatives even if the PH government became a federal government and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is appointed Prime Minister.
Ewon, who is also United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) incoming president, said that he will use his position as one of the council members of the Pakatan Harapan’s president council to claim what is best for Sabah and Penampang.
“As UPKO’s president, I will sit together with all the presidents of PH components and this is my platform to claim what is best for Sabah and Penampang. This is my commitment,” he said.
He also asked to be given five years to prove his ability to fulfil his promises.
At the same time, Ewon also explained the importance of having the right Prime Minister candidate.
“In the 15GE, we are not just selecting members of parliament but also voting to determine the federal government and prime minister.
“Why is the prime minister candidate important? Because in all cabinet meetings, he has absolute power. As long as the prime minister disagrees with the demands of his cabinet members, the demands will not be decided. That is why, during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, we asked but it wasn’t approved.
“That is why the prime minister candidate is very important. In PH, there is only one prime minister candidate which is Datuk Seri Anwar, PKR president,” he said.