Ewon not the right man to lead Sabah PH, say analysts

 

Ewon Benedick of Upko was elected Sabah PH chairman on Dec 1, ousting Chistina Liew of PKR from a post she had held since 2017.

PETALING JAYA: 

Upko president Ewon Benedick is not the right man to lead Sabah Pakatan Harapan, with elections due in the state next year, according to two analysts.

Hisomuddin Bakar of Ilham Centre said Ewon, who is Kadazandusun, is not representative of the majority of seats that PH is likely to contest at the state assembly elections next year.

He said Sabah PH’s strength largely lies in urban areas, while the coalition is expected to work with other parties for the elections.

Sabah PH currently holds seven seats in the state assembly, of which all except Ewon’s Kadamaian seat are urban constituencies.

“Ewon is not the right figure as it will give the impression of a poster boy who does not truly represent Sabah PH’s image and the number of seats its components will contest,” Hisomuddin told FMT.

Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said a better alternative was Sabah DAP’s newly-elected leader Phoong Jin Zhe, as DAP holds four seats in the state assembly compared to two for PKR and one for Upko.

In terms of parliamentary representation, Upko and DAP both have two MPs in Sabah while PKR has just one.

“With DAP holding the most seats in Sabah PH, Phoong is the natural choice and has the charm to attract voters. Phoong’s media presence also gives him an edge over Ewon,” Oh told FMT.

However, Phoong must “work on his charisma” to become the poster boy of Sabah PH, he said.

Oh said the matter of who was Sabah PH leader would not matter to voters as much as which parties will be allied with the coalition for the polls.

Hisomuddin said a DAP figure could not lead Sabah PH effectively as the party did not reflect the East Malaysian state’s diverse population.

On the other hand, while PKR deserved the post on paper, he said the state party had continued to suffer from internal strife, undermining its strength. “PKR is a party that thinks it is strong, but in reality, it is weak,” he added.

He did not suggest who would be the most suitable to lead Sabah PH but the coalition would need to resolve the matter quickly or risk projecting instability to voters.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah analyst Bilcher Bala believed that Ewon had the necessary experience and influence for the job, citing his various roles, including as federal entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister.

He also pointed out that Ewon appeared to have the backing of the majority of PH components, except for PKR.

Ewon was elected Sabah PH chief by a margin of three votes on Dec 1, ousting Christina Liew of PKR from a post she had held since 2017.

Two weeks later, Liew said discussions were being held on her possible return as Sabah PH chairman, adding that talks were held with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and members of the state leadership council.

However Phoong defended Ewon’s election and denied that there was a rule stipulating that the state PH chairmanship must be held by PKR.

Sabah PH Youth, comprising leaders of Upko, DAP and Amanah, previously issued a joint statement stating their support for Ewon as the new Sabah PH chief.

On Dec 25, a Sabah PKR leader was reported as saying that the state PH chairmanship rightfully belonged to PKR, citing a formula that had been agreed and adhered to by its components. - FMT