Sabah goes to the polls on Nov 29, Nomination Day set for Nov 15

KOTA KINABALU: More than 1.7 million Sabahans are set to head to the ballot boxes on Nov 29 to cast their votes in the state polls, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Thursday (Oct 16). 

The election period will run for 14 days after the nomination of candidates on Nov 15, with early voting set for Nov 25. 

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor had announced the official dissolution of the state legislative assembly on Oct 6. 

The Sabah State Legislative Assembly has a total of 79 seats - 73 of which must be contested, with another six appointed by the governor.

“Over 1,784,843 million eligible voters will carry out their responsibilities (in the 17th Sabah state election),” EC chairman Ramlan Harun told a press conference on Thursday, as quoted by local news agency Bernama. 

The press conference was held after he chaired a special meeting for the polls at the Sabah Federal Government Administrative Complex on Thursday. 

The 17th Sabah state election will need an estimated allocation of RM116.8 million (US$27.6 million), according to Ramlan. 

There will be 940 polling centres, with 33,302 personnel mobilised to facilitate the state election that will be held on a Saturday. 

Responding to proposals for Sabah voters in Peninsular Malaysia to be allowed to cast postal votes, Ramlan said that the EC has yet to finalise the matter.

“For now, Sabah voters who are not in Sabah will have to come back here to vote,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama. 

Eighty-six election campaign enforcement teams comprising representatives from the police, local authorities and the candidates standing for the election will be set up. 

“It is aimed at monitoring election campaign activities throughout the official campaigning period,” Ramlan said. 

The EC will also be livestreaming some voting and counting processes on its official Facebook page and launch a “Jom Kita Undi” campaign to encourage voter turnout, reported Malay Mail. “Jom Kita Undi” translates to “Let’s Vote” in Malay. 

FIRST IN A SERIES OF NOTEWORTHY STATE POLLS AHEAD OF NEXT GE

Sabah’s election is the first in a series of noteworthy state polls - next up are Melaka, Johor and Sarawak - between now and 2028, by when Malaysia’s 16th General Election (GE16) must be held. 

The 16th Sabah polls were held in September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government then was dissolved barely more than two years after the last election. 

Caretaker Chief Minister Hajiji had led the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state government. GRS - an alliance of several local parties - had been working with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The governing bloc commands over 50 seats, inclusive of nominated seats.

In Sabah, the opposition is led by Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), together with Barisan Nasional (BN). They have 23 seats, including two nominated seats.

Two seats were vacant - one because of a death and another after a former assemblyman was convicted of a crime.  

PH, BN, GRS, and Warisan, however, are working together at the federal level. 

The Sabah polls will be a test of how well Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government partners can work together even as their collaboration is not a given at the next General Election, political leaders and analysts previously told CNA.