Sabah Bersatu has openly urged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to step aside as Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman after the coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the 17th Sabah state election, failing to secure a single seat despite fielding dozens of candidates.
The call was led by Sabah Bersatu secretary Yunus Nurdin, who described the outcome as deeply embarrassing for the party. He argued that the failure to win even one seat reflected a broader collapse in voter confidence, driven in part by unresolved internal disputes that had plagued Bersatu in the months leading up to the polls.
According to Yunus, the disastrous performance signalled that both PN and Bersatu urgently needed comprehensive renewal. He stressed that the party required a fresh image and leadership capable of responding more effectively to political challenges, saying that any reconstruction efforts must start from the very top. He urged Muhyiddin to relinquish his roles in the coalition and party, insisting that the suggestion was not personal but necessary for Bersatu’s long-term survival.
Yunus also attributed the coalition’s poor showing—winning only one seat through PAS—to insufficient support from PN’s central leadership, which he claimed had failed to provide enough funding, training, and strategic guidance for the state election campaign. The outcome, he said, was demoralising for grassroots members, division leaders, and candidates, many of whom felt the party’s dignity had been compromised.
PAS’s victory in Karambunai, marking its first-ever seat in East Malaysia, stood in stark contrast to Bersatu’s total wipeout. The result also highlighted how far Bersatu had fallen since 2020, when the party secured 11 state seats.
Muhyiddin had already been facing growing pressure within Bersatu, including calls for him to pass the leadership baton to his deputy, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, ahead of the 16th general election. PAS leaders, too, have been vocal in urging the Islamic party to take the lead within PN.
Despite the friction, key Bersatu MPs — including Hamzah — attended a closed-door meeting with Muhyiddin about a week before polling day, reaffirming their support for him to continue as party president.
However, the Sabah results have re-ignited demands for a leadership shake-up, as party members brace for what many see as a critical moment of reckoning for Bersatu’s future direction.
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