Kota kinabalu: Sabah’s fluid and unpredictable political landscape will enter its most critical phase over the next two weeks as contesting parties and candidates hit the campaign trail for the 17th Sabah State Election. Political parties and independent candidates alike are seeking to champion the rights of Sabahans within the federation in a bid to win over voters in the Land Below the Wind.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) lecturer Dr. Sharifah Nursyahidah Syed Annuar remarked that election outcomes in Sabah are usually difficult to predict due to the diversity of cultures, tribes, and ethnicities, which shape different political leanings across constituencies. Dr. Sharifah, who is the head of the Political Science Programme at the Centre for History, Politics and Strategy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UKM, emphasized the unpredictable nature of political outcomes in Sabah, stating that the next two weeks will be a critical period.
She further explained that the cultural differences between Sabah’s East Coast and West Coast influence political perceptions in the state, resulting in dynamics that do not align with political patterns in Peninsular Malaysia. Meanwhile, Dr. Muhamad Fuad Abdul Karim, a senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Negeri Sembilan Branch, highlighted the rise in state identity sentiment, prompting Sabah-based political parties to emphasize agendas such as ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ to consolidate support.
Dr. Muhamad Fuad noted that Sabah’s political history, marked by frequent leadership changes, shows that its people are not permanently bound to the dominance of any one party but are more inclined to choose candidates who meet their expectations. He warned that if elected representatives do not meet the people’s needs, they risk being rejected regardless of their party affiliation.
He also pointed out the significant role that social media is expected to play throughout the state election campaign, particularly in influencing young voters’ preferences. He suggested that the more a party appears on platforms like TikTok, the more it can sway the decisions of young voters on polling day.
The nominations for the state election concluded at 10 am today, marking the official start of the 14-day campaign period set by the Election Commission (EC), which will run until 11:59 pm on November 28. A total of 73 seats are up for grabs in the polls, with early voting set for November 25 and polling day on November 29.