KOTA KINABALU, Dec. 4 -- Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Ewon Benedick has pushed back against accusations that he "scammed" Sabah voters by joining the state Cabinet alongside national parties after resigning from the federal Cabinet and campaigning on a "Sabah First" message.

Ewon, who is also the state industrial, entrepreneurship and transport minister, said his "Sabah First" slogan has always centred on pursuing Sabah's constitutional rights - particularly the long-disputed 40 per cent revenue entitlement - and that the current unity government provides the best platform to advance those goals.

He said critics were overlooking a key fact: the new state administration is now overwhelmingly led by local parties, giving Sabah far more ...