PETALING JAYA: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick (
pic) has sparked speculation about his Cabinet position after attending a farewell event organised by his ministry’s staff in Putrajaya yesterday.
Berita Harian quoted a source as saying that Ewon also announced he would be on leave from Nov 11-29 but did not comment on resigning from his ministerial post.
During a meeting with ministry staff and agencies in Temerloh last week, he was quoted as saying: “This may be my last speech as entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister.
“I want to thank everyone who has served in the ministry. I am certain I will return to serve in Sabah. If we meet elsewhere, feel free to greet me.”
Ewon had previously said that he was prepared to relinquish his ministerial post if the federal government appeals the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s decision affirming Sabah’s constitutional right to receive 40% of federal revenue collected from the State.
In his closing speech at the Penampang Upko convention earlier, Ewon had said he had informed the prime minister, deputies as well as other ministers of his stance on the court decision.
He added that his stance aligned with a resolution passed by the Penampang Upko division, which called for his resignation from the Cabinet if the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) proceeded with the appeal.
The AGC yesterday said that it had received the High Court’s full grounds of judgment and would review the matter before deciding on the next course of action.
Yesterday, higher education minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir also hinted that a Cabinet reshuffle may take place within the next two to three weeks. - FMT
