KOTA KINABALU, Jan 18 — United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) has reiterated its firm stand that the federal government should drop its appeal related to Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement, saying this is crucial if there is genuine intention to resolve the long-standing issue.

Upko President Datuk Ewon Benedick said the party wants the federal government to withdraw the appeal regardless of the reasons, as a clear demonstration of sincerity in implementing the court’s decision and proceeding with the payment of the outstanding 40 per cent share owed to Sabah since the 1970s.

“Whatever the situation at the Upko party level, I have clearly stated our position. We want the federal government to drop the appeal, whatever the reason, if it is truly sincere in resolving this matter and has the intention to implement the court’s decision or to proceed with the payment of the outstanding 40 per cent that has been pending since the 1970s,” he said at the launching of Upko’s tripartite general meeting here today.

“I will raise this in the Dewan Rakyat, and it will also be conveyed through the mechanisms of the federal government.

“The Chief Minister has likewise put forward the demand for this issue to be resolved,” he added.

Responding to a question about the perceived lack of progress after 90 days of the High Court’s decision on the 40-per cent revenue, Ewon said there was supposed to be a second meeting involving the top government officials’ committee on December 19 last year.

“At the Sabah government level, we had requested that a message be conveyed through that committee meeting for the federal government to drop the appeal that had been filed at the Court of Appeal, in relation to the grounds of judgement of the High Court’s decision.

“However, at the last minute, the federal government informed us that the meeting had been postponed,” said the Deputy Chief Minister III and Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport.

He said he could not explain the postponement on behalf of the federal government.

“You need to ask someone from the federal government about this.”

When asked whether the delay suggested a lack of sincerity on the part of the federal authorities, Ewon replied: “I have stated my position. You can interpret my position.

“When I make a demand, it means there is a need.”

In his speech earlier, Ewon said the 40 per cent entitlement was essential to meet Sabah’s development needs, including poverty eradication, economic and industrial programmes, entrepreneurship, education, scholarships and human capital development.

“Sabah’s development today is better than before 1963, and I welcome the resolution of 13 matters related to the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“We appreciate the good relationship between the federal and state governments, which has enabled these 13 matters to be resolved.

“However, revenue-sharing through the restoration of 40 per cent of federal revenue to Sabah, which stopped in 1974, remains the main demand of the people of Sabah that has yet to be resolved,” said the Penampang MP.

Adding on, Ewon said Upko would continue to stand with the people of Sabah, through political, legal, academic, activist and other platforms, to pursue a final resolution to the issue.

“Our participation in the federal government, from December 2022 until I decided to resign from the Federal Cabinet, has recorded the positions of the party that I have consistently championed,” he pointed out. — The Borneo Post