Sabah election: GRS leader Hajiji Noor sworn in as Chief Minister after incumbent ruling pact beat opposition

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s incumbent ruling coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) edged out the opposition in a high-stakes election on Saturday (Nov 29), with GRS chairman Hajiji Noor sworn in as chief minister in the early hours of Sunday. 

In a brief press conference at 2.15am on Sunday (Nov 30), the Election Commission announced that GRS has won 29 seats, while its ally Pakatan Harapan (PH) - led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim - clinched one seat through the premier’s own Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Warisan, a bitter rival of GRS-PH, came in second with 25 seats. Barisan Nasional (BN) won six seats, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) won three seats, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) won two seats, Perikatan Nasional (PN) won one seat, and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia (KDM) won one seat. 

The remaining five seats went to independent candidates.

Although no party clinched a simple majority in the 73-seat state legislative assembly, GRS-PH had claimed that it had enough seats with other parties to form a coalition government. Warisan has disputed this.

However, Hajiji’s swearing-in by governor Musa Aman suggests that GRS-PH has first dibs at forming the next government with at least seven more seats from other parties to claim a simple majority.

Under Sabah’s constitution, the governor can appoint a chief minister who he thinks commands majority support among the state’s lawmakers, as opposed to an individual from the party with the most seats in the state assembly.

Hajiji was spotted heading to the state palace early on Sunday, and news agency Bernama later reported that he had been sworn in for a second term.

In a statement on Sunday morning, Hajiji said that he accepts the trust of voters with “profound gratitude”. 

"The people’s unwavering support and courageous belief in our cause have been the driving force behind this victory,” he added.

"Let us celebrate this victory as the beginning of a new chapter, filled with renewed purpose and the collective determination to build a better tomorrow for Sabah and its people.” 

Polling closed at 5pm on Saturday. The voter turnout was 64.35 per cent, lower than the 66.28 per cent during the previous state election in 2020 held amid the COVID-19 pandemic and health restrictions.

PKR’s secretary-general Fuziah Salleh claimed in a press conference livestreamed on Saturday evening that Hajiji has obtained the numbers to form the new Sabah government.

Bernama also reported that PKR vice-president Amirudin Shari was holding discussions with Hajiji on the formation of the new Sabah government.

But Warisan secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr told reporters in the early hours of Sunday that GRS does not have the "right" to form a state government as its seat numbers were "questionable".

"Because as long as it's not from Warisan, they (GRS) count them in, and say they have the numbers," he said.

While Loretto acknowledged some parties have approached Warisan about combining seats, he said the party needs to discuss this internally first.

"We have to see if a coalition is good for the people of Sabah," he added.

PH and BN were in a separate pact for this election, while STAR and UPKO are former component parties of GRS and PH, respectively.

In response to a question by CNA on Friday on whether BN would align with Warisan or GRS if it could not secure a simple majority, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said: “We will work with any party to form the government.”

In 2020, GRS won 38 seats and formed the state government. Back then, the coalition comprised the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO - 14 seats), Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu - 11 seats), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS - seven seats), and STAR (six seats).

The Warisan Plus coalition won 32 seats, comprising Warisan (23 seats), Democratic Action Party (DAP - six seats), PKR (two seats), and UPKO (one seat).

The remaining three seats were claimed by independent candidates.

Following that election, GRS went on to form the state government while Warisan became the opposition.

At this year’s election, GRS competed as a coalition of six local parties including PBS, together in alliance with PH, which comprises PKR and DAP.

PH also formed a separate pact with the UMNO-led BN coalition, while Warisan, STAR, UPKO and the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition went solo.

While it is possible a coalition government involving GRS and PH would administer Sabah for another five years, the results were still damning for PH component party DAP.

DAP, considered popular in several Chinese-majority urban seats, lost all eight seats it contested this time round, despite winning six out of seven in 2020.

Conceding defeat in a statement at about 8.30pm, DAP chief Anthony Loke said the party accepts and respects the decisions by voters.

“The party leadership will take lessons from this outcome, reassess all our shortcomings, and strive to regain the support of the people in the next election,” he said, adding that he takes full responsibility for DAP’s defeat.

Sabah DAP chief Phoong Zhin Je was defeated by Warisan’s Tham Yun Fook in Likas, which was previously held by DAP.

The leaders of GRS (Hajiji in Sulaman), Warisan (Shafie Apdal in Senallang), BN (Bung Moktar Radin in Lamag), STAR (Jeffrey Kitingan in Tambunan), and UPKO (Ewon Benedick in Kadamaian) all retained their seats.

Sabah’s entitlement to 40 per cent of the revenue it contributes to the federal government was a constant hot button issue, while an alleged mining corruption scandal tainting the incumbent GRS-PH alliance featured prominently in the final days of the campaign.

Other issues that dominated the campaign include longstanding municipal woes such as inadequate water and electricity supply, and poor road infrastructure.

A record 596 candidates - including 74 independents - vied for 73 seats, with all constituencies hosting multi-cornered fights and four-way contests the minimum.