Sabah voters demand real change: what the election revealed

Enoch Lim

In Latin, there is a saying: “Vox Populi, Vox Dei” – the voice of the people is the voice of God.

The people of Sabah have chosen their leaders to represent them. Regardless of how everyone feels about the election, the outcome should be respected.

I came into this election with low expectations, knowing Gabungan Rakyat Sabah might remain in power. Those who won must be congratulated on winning their races. Our hope is that they will live up to the mandate of the people.

For many, the results were surprising, yet within the realm of expectations. A hung Sabah Legislative Assembly was the end result, with GRS securing 29 seats, followed by Warisan with 25 seats.

At stake were 73 seats. To form the government, GRS required the support of at least eight other winners.

Hajiji Noor was sworn at around 03:00. Many questioned the haste and hurried nature of the swearing-in.

It was interpreted as a sign that GRS was concerned that a party like Warisan might get enough support (another 12 winners) to then launch a challenge to form the next Sabah government. Warisan’s performance was beyond expectations as some had predicted it would win fewer than 20 seats.

The shocking news, however, was that Pakatan Harapan only won one seat (Melalap) and the DAP lost all eight seats it contested to Warisan. The DAP’s devastating loss prompted party secretary general Anthony Loke, alongside Sabah DAP chairperson Phoong Jin Zhe, to apologise and take responsibility.

They recognised that Sabah voters were unhappy with the DAP. Some are wondering what will become of the DAP from now on.

The election outcome proved several things.

First, Sabah voters showed signs of rejecting peninsula-based parties and coalitions, favouring local parties instead. This can be seen as a positive sign that they are prepared to sideline the peninsula-centric governance paradigm.

Voters in Sabah want leaders to be more assertive in demanding their rights enshrined under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. They will no longer settle for half-baked measures and commitments.

Second, the election results are a signal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his administration that, after three years, people are tired that of the lack of improvement. Reforms were slow or non-existent, and tolerance for corruption seems to be growing by the day.

Third, on a grander scale, the three major coalitions – PH, Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional – seem to be losing popularity. People are turning to other alternatives.

As someone who leaned towards PH–DAP since secondary school, I feel its loss was expected, a telltale sign for the beginning of its downfall. I’m dissatisfied with the DAP’s sub-par performance.

DAP leaders are too comfortable being in power. It feels as if their party is on its way to becoming the MCA 2.0. They have become sitting ducks that remained silent when problems and criticisms were piling up and coming their way. Some of them have become increasingly arrogant.

Right now, the DAP’s biggest mistake is to take its voters for granted and exude the same attitude as BN did with the Borneo voters, viewing them as ‘fixed deposits’. Those days are gone, and this election proves it.

Many urban voters are now rejecting the DAP in droves. The party must decide if it can truly claim to represent everyday people and support transparency and accountability.

Some might argue that the party has been doing the opposite since being in power after the 2022 general election. It does not practise what it preaches.

The people might have tolerated mishap after mishap. But this time, they said “no more!” They want to see solutions and concrete results.

PH and all the other parties need to deeply self-reflect and understand what the people truly want, especially in a multicultural nation. They need to make their platforms palatable to the people’s needs.

If they’re unable to grasp something this basic, then losses and irrelevance will follow.

Take BN, for example. Will BN collapse or survive by hanging on a thin thread?

There are plenty of old and new parties throughout Malaysia – small and big. In what way can they redirect their focus to truly serve the interests of the people? Are they able to set aside differences for the greater good, perhaps even forming a new bloc?

This is the next challenge in Malaysia’s political arena. Opportunities are plenty and can be grasped, and there is no better time than now.

What is Sabah’s future? Unfortunately, it still hasn’t eliminated corruption, and problems remain unsolved.

Yet I hope that Sabahans, even in this sea of political fragmentation and disillusions, can find unity. Despite our differences, we are still Sabahans in mind and heart.

Make no mistake: the Sabahan and pro-Borneo sentiment is growing rapidly. Such sentiments cannot be wiped out or silenced, and this election is paving the way forward. Our fear lies in whether outside forces can dilute this sentiment.

Amid concerns and slight disappointments, I am certain the future of Sabah has just become a bit brighter. We have hope that we can prosper beyond our dreams and expectations, rivalling even people in neighbouring countries.

This is not about “East Malaysians versus West Malaysians” or “Malaya is bad and Borneo is good”. This is more about Sabah and Sarawak having a unique history and cultures compared to the peninsula.

It is about the Borneo territories trying to preserve their interests and their way of life in a federation taking on the challenges and aspirations on the global stage.

Granted, I have little faith the new GRS-led administration will perform well or do the right things in the coming years. Sabah needs a proper system of checks and balances.

All parties should work towards a better future socially and economically for all the people of Sabah.

I urge all to continue to pray for our leaders and our nation unceasingly, as a new chapter unfolds in the administration of Sabah. God bless.

Enoch Lim from Sabah has a master’s in public administration from a public university in the peninsula. He had earlier graduated in Sarawak with a degree in politics and government studies.