By Majangkim Office
KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Ewon Benedick’s rise is a story of calculated maneuver. His resignation from a federal Cabinet post and alignment with Sabah‑based coalitions positioned him as a defender of autonomy.
By invoking the echoes of Peter Mojuntin, he cloaked his ascent in dignity and secured influence in a government dominated by local voices.
But power obtained through political calculation carries a heavy price. The unity government he supports blurs the line between autonomy and compromise.
With influence comes expectation: he must deliver on the 40% federal revenue entitlement, constitutional safeguards, and tangible reforms. The challenge is not in gaining power—it is in working now, in the present, to translate promises into policy.
One urgent frontier is the Native interpretation of Sabah. Current frameworks reduce native identity to administrative categories, leaving communities vulnerable to exclusion and land grabs.
Policy reform must clarify and strengthen native rights, ensuring that constitutional recognition aligns with lived heritage. This idea was mooted years ago but dismissed as career‑ending.
This is Ewon’s chance to prove otherwise—for the native communities who stand behind him.
Another test is the creation of a Sabah Freedom of Information Ordinance. Such legislation would be transformative:
It would guarantee public access to government records, ensuring transparency in decision‑making.
It would empower citizens to hold leaders accountable, reducing corruption and misuse of state resources.
It would strengthen trust between government and people, showing that autonomy is not just rhetoric but lived governance.
It would align Sabah with international standards of open government, positioning the state as a model of accountability within Malaysia.
This ordinance would mark a decisive step toward good governance, proving that political maneuvers can evolve into structural justice.
Clever maneuvers may open doors, but dignity sustains sovereignty. Every seat won demands proof of legacy; every coalition formed demands accountability to the people.
The echoes of autonomy are not enough; they must be embodied in fiscal justice, cultural cohesion, native recognition, and transparent governance.
Ewon’s ascent has earned him influence. But the true measure of leadership will be whether he can convert compromise into justice.
In Sabah’s struggle for rights, political calculation without policy reform is a fleeting performance. Strategy anchored in legacy can become the foundation of sovereignty.
