Kota kinabalu: Pakatan Harapan (PH) did not anticipate a significant loss of support from its traditionally loyal Chinese voters in the recently concluded 17th Sabah State Election. This unexpected development has prompted the coalition to consider reassessing its strategy as it prepares for the upcoming 16th General Election (GE16).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sabah PKR Chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud highlighted the need for a comprehensive analysis of the shift in Chinese voter sentiment that has affected the coalition’s performance. Mustapha emphasized the importance of conducting a post-mortem to understand the reasons behind the decline in support, describing it as a wake-up call for PH, particularly for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Mustapha further explained that the lessons learned from this election outcome present an opportunity for PH to refine its strategies ahead of GE16. He stressed the importance of addressing these issues early to devise effective strategies to win back loyal voters and secure their support.

Additionally, Mustapha confirmed his participation at the Chief Minister’s Sri Gaya residence was consistent with PKR’s official position regarding the formation of the new state government. He expressed PKR’s readiness to be part of the upcoming administration and support Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor as the future Chief Minister.

In the election, Sabah DAP did not win any of the eight seats it contested, while PKR secured only one out of the 13 seats. Amanah also failed to win the sole seat it contested, the Sulabayan seat.