I won’t support backdoor govt – Ewon

PENAMPANG (Dec 26): The rakyat in Sabah want political stability as it can facilitate development plans and more effective economic development.

“If we keep arguing about who should be the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and cabinet members, in the end, our focus will only be on selecting the 11 individuals in Sabah,” said United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (UPKO) President Datuk Ewon Benedick.

He stressed that the rakyat want the state to continue its economic development, infrastructure and entrepreneurial growth.

“Imagine how the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry and me as its minister could plan additional focus for Sabah if I were embroiled in such efforts. Hence, in our ministry, we need a stable state government, and in my opinion, let the current government remain until it is dissolved by the Chief Minister,” he said.

Ewon, who was met at a Christmas Day open house he hosted here on Tuesday, said this when asked to comment on UPKO’s opinion about attempts to overthrow the state government.

“Leaders in Sabah should focus on development and the demands of Sabah’s rights rather than ‘tebuk atap’. Our focus should be on economic and infrastructural development in Sabah, addressing pending issues and development demands.

“This requires political stability because without it, how can we assert Sabah’s rights within the Malaysian federation? That is why I choose to support the Chief Minister rather than backing efforts to replace him at inappropriate times and situations.

“Therefore, I urge all Sabah leaders to concentrate on the right matters,” Ewon, who is Kadamaian assemblyman and Penampang Member of Parliament, said.

Ewon stressed that he remains steadfast in his stance not to support what is termed as ‘menebuk atap’.

“I don’t believe there will be what’s termed as a ‘kerajaan tebuk atap’. Even if there are attempts, I do not think such a scenario will materialize.

“In Sabah, such attempts exist, but I am among the representatives who have successfully thwarted any efforts to overthrow the elected government. I remain steadfast in my position. As long as I am the President of UPKO, I will not support any efforts to replace any government formed after legitimate negotiations,” he said.

He opined that the government should remain in power until its term ends or until it is dissolved by the said government.

Ewon also reiterated his full support for the Chief Minister of Sabah to continue his mandate until its conclusion.

On Monday, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) secretary-general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said GRS is currently focused on developing the economy for the people rather than replacing the Unity Government through ‘tebuk atap’ or backdoor manoeuvres.

Masidi said the coalition’s stance is clear that it supports Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Unity Government to ensure that efforts towards economic development can continue smoothly.

The Sabah Finance Minister said GRS also supports Anwar to continue leading the current administration until the end of the government’s term.

“For GRS, our focus is on economic recovery because the people are affected by the uncertain economy at present. Therefore, we concentrate on rebuilding the economy and channelling all our efforts towards this direction.

“We are also comfortable with the Unity Government due to the fact that we feel appreciated. In any government, every member should be regarded as vital, so we feel that GRS is an essential component of the Unity Government,” he told reporters on Monday.

Masidi was met at the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) Christmas Open House here, with Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin also present.

Last Saturday, Anwar expressed confidence that the ‘tebuk atap’ episode of changing administrations through backdoor manoeuvres would not happen as the current government enjoys strong support from Sarawak.

The prime minister said in the current political situation, the role or stand of GPS is quite critical because only with statements and support from leading parties of Sarawak (GPS) and Sabah (GRS) can such a change of government happen.

Masidi further said that political parties should set aside trivial matters and prioritise helping the people by implementing economic recovery efforts together.

When asked about the cooperation between PBS and STAR, he said that the collaborative efforts of these two component parties within GRS play a crucial role in strengthening the coalition and uniting the people in Sabah.

Apart from PBS and STAR, GRS also includes Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).