Datuk Ewon Ebin (born 26 June 1954) is a
Malaysian
Malaysian may refer to:
* Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia
* Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia
* Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
who served as the
Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation and represented
Ranau
'Ranau'' ( ms, Pekan Ranau) is the capital of the Ranau District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,970 in 2010.
Climate
Ranau has a tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest cl ...
as the
Member of Parliament of Malaysia from 2013 to 2018.
He is the former Vice President of the
United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation
The United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation ( ms, Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu; abbrev: UPKO) is a multiracial political party based in Sabah, Malaysia. The party was rebranded from its previous party's name, United Pasokmomogun Ka ...
(UPKO), a political party in the state of
Sabah
Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
, which he was one of the founders 26 years ago. He left UPKO in February 2020, citing that the party leadership had derailed from its original objectives and failed to protect the welfare of its members, the indigenous Sabahans, and other Malaysians from Sabah. His resignation leads 5,000 UPKO members to quit the party, including committee members from the Ranau division.
In March 2020, Datuk Ewon Ebin declared that he will be joining
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah
The Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah ( Sabah People's Ideas Party) or also registered as Parti Gagasan Bersama Rakyat Sabah (often known simply as GAGASAN or PGRS) and better known as Gagasan Rakyat, is a political party based in Sabah, Malaysia mai ...
(PGRS) under the leadership of former federal minister Datuk Seri Panglima
Anifah Aman.
He is very interested in the problems of natives in
Sabah
Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
. His thesis at the
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
1978 was 'A Ranau
Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...
Traditional Law Study in Sabah on Marriage, Divorce and Heritage' was one of his contribution.
Personal life
Ewon was born and raised in Bundu Tuhan,
Ranau
'Ranau'' ( ms, Pekan Ranau) is the capital of the Ranau District in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 8,970 in 2010.
Climate
Ranau has a tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest cl ...
. A village located at the foot of the tallest mountain in
South East Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
, The
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( ms, Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu'') is the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia. With an elevation of , it is third-highest peak of an island on Earth, and 20th most prominent mountain in the worl ...
. He is married with six children and has a Bachelor of Legislative Law (LLB) conferred by the
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
. After graduation, he became a lawyer and owned a Law Firm, Tetuan Vitales Ewon & Co, in Kota Kinabalu. In 1979, Datuk Ewon was appointed as a First Class Magistrate, which he served for more than five years.
Government career
Datuk Ewon held several government positions. Between 1985 and 2001, he served as the Chairman of Sabah Rubber Fund Board, Chairman of Permodalan Bumiputra Sabah, Director of Sabah Bank and Deputy Chairman of Sabah Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO).
Political career
Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly
Datuk Ewon's political career began to shine when he was at the age of 31. He won the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for N.13 Kundasang in the year 1985 under Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), which he held the position for almost 15 years.
From 2004 to 2013, he became the first Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for N.31 Paginatan through United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation. UPKO is another political party in Sabah, which he founded together with Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and other former leaders from Parti Bersatu Sabah.
During his time as a Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, Datuk Ewon Ebin has held various positions in Sabah State Government. Beginning by serving the State as:
* Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing
* Assistant Minister of Tourism and Environment
* Assistant Minister of Industrial Development
In 2004, Datuk Ewon was appointed by the Chief Minister of Sabah as Minister of Industrial Development. After serving the position for a term, he was assigned to another portfolio as the Minister of Rural Development until the 2013 General Election.
Federal parliamentarian
In the 2013 general election, Datuk Ewon was elected to the federal Parliament for the seat of P.179 Ranau in the state of Sabah. In his first term in parliament, he was selected to become one of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Minister. He served as the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Malaysia.
Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS)
On 17 December 2021, he resigned as Vice-President and member of PCS along with many of its leaders, resulting in mass resignations. He stated that the party was disorganised and inactive.
Issues
Illegal immigrants issues
On 11 January 2009, Sabah Industrial Development Minister Ewon reminded the JKKK about the tactics of
illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of the immigration laws of that country or the continued residence without the legal right to live in that country. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upwa ...
using a fake identity card to steal the aid of the native hardcore poor. Through home visits, the relevant parties can check the actual level of the applicant's poverty thus ensuring that their documents are valid or otherwise.
Rural aid
On 30 April 2010, Ewon as Sabah Rural Development Minister was present at the Sabah Sejahtera Award at Kampung Mansiang Community Development Center,
Menggatal
Menggatal or Manggatal is a Malaysian town and suburb of Kota Kinabalu District on the west coast of Sabah. It is an outskirt of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, and is under the jurisdiction of Kota Kinabalu City Hall. It is located along Jal ...
. Also present were Assistant Minister of Resources Development and Information Technology Development, Jainab Ahmad and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Ghulam Jelani. The winner is Kampung Tanjung Bulat,
Kinabatangan
Kinabatangan ( ms, Pekan Kinabatangan) is the capital of the Kinabatangan District in the Sandakan Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 10,256 in 2010. Kinabatangan is mostly populated with the Orang Sungai
...
- the state-level Sabah Sejahtera Award winner. Entilibon Village, Tongod (runner up) and Kampung Babagon Penampang (third). All winners receive prizes in the form of a project grant of RM50,000 for the champion, RM40,000 (runner-up) and RM30,000 (third).
Elections
Since 1985, Ewon has been contesting in the Sabah election in
Kundasang. In 1985 Ewon won with a majority of 939 votes. In the 1999 Election, Ewon was opposed by Ramdi Indang (Allied); Karim Bin Adam (PBS) and Benjimin Yasin (Setia). Kundasang's jurisdiction had 11,539 votes.
The previous State Assembly is known as Ranau and has 8639 voters. Ewon (
BN/
UPKO) 3,224, Janimin Saiun (Independent) 1,673; Ramli Indang (Independent) - 937; Henry Wan Kauting (Setia) 76 and Nayon Gudumi (Independent) - 69.
In the next election, Ewon (PBS) received 4956 votes;
Kasitah Gaddam
Tan Sri Datuk Kasitah bin Gaddam ( Jawi: قصيدة بن قدم; born 18 October 1947) is a Malaysian politician from the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) who served as Minister of Lands and Co-operatives Development of Malaysia betwe ...
(BN) gets 4,017 votes.
[Sabah's dilemma: the political history of Sabah, 1960-1994, Herman J. Luping, Magnus Books, 1994,page 490]
In the 2008 election, Ewon (BN) received 5206 votes; Jahumin Ampadong (Allied) 157; Paul B. Kerangkas (PKR) 1,749 votes and Mat Jaili Samat (Independent) 90 votes. After the victory, he was appointed Sabah's Minister of Rural Development.
Election results
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebin, Ewon
Government ministers of Malaysia
Living people
People from Sabah
Members of the Dewan Rakyat
United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation politicians
Date of birth missing (living people)
1954 births