KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick has responded to criticisms regarding his appointment as the new KKIP Sdn Bhd chairman. This follows backlash against his appointment to the post, with politicians and non-governmental organisations calling him greedy for holding various portfolios in the government. Apart from the Deputy Chief Minister position, Ewon is also Kadamaian assemblyman, Penampang MP, the Sabah Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship, and Transport Minister, and the Upko party president. Ewon later claimed he was misquoted, stating his stance was that GLC appointments should balance political and corporate figures. KKIP Sdn Bhd, a strategic state-owned company responsible for managing and developing key industrial areas in Sabah, including attracting investments and developing the industrial ecosystem, falls under the jurisdiction of Ewon’s ministry.

Source: The Star January 18, 2026 15:07 UTC