NOV 10 — “I stand by my principles,” said United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Ewon Benedick as he announced his resignation from the federal Cabinet.
He cited what he described as the Attorney General’s Chambers’ (AGC) disregard for Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue derived from the state.
“I cannot agree with the position and interpretation taken by the AGC, who serves as the legal adviser to the prime minister and the federal government.
“It would therefore be highly improper for me to continue serving in the Federal Cabinet given the AGC’s position, which I believe will remain unchanged,” he said in an official statement on social media late Saturday night (October 8).
Highly improper?
I say it would be highly untenable for Ewon to continue as a minister as he is bound by the constitutional principle of collective responsibility pursuant to Article 43(3) of the Federal Constitution.
As I wrote in “Frankly speaking”, a minister who cannot abide by collective responsibility is expected to resign.
It is salutary of Ewon to stand by his principles.
But it is equally salutary if he respects the federal government’s right to appeal against the Kota Kinabalu High Court Kota ruling that the federal government acted unlawfully by not fulfilling Sabah’s right to 40 per cent of federal revenue for nearly 50 years.
For the umpteenth time, I say the right to appeal is a substantive right.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
