The 17th Sabah state election has sent shockwaves far beyond the shores of Borneo, marking a decisive shift in Malaysian politics that may well reshape the national landscape ahead of GE16.
The resounding victory of the “Sabah for Sabahans” narrative - coupled with the total wipeout of DAP and PKR’s collapse to just one seat - even that win came from an imported candidate from GRS - signals a seismic realignment of voter sentiment, especially among urban Chinese voters who once formed the backbone of Pakatan Harapan (PH).
DAP’s loss of all eight seats it contested is not merely a defeat; it is a verdict. Analysts, activists, and even its own former leaders agree: the party misread the ground, misjudged the mood, and misunderstood Sabah’s unique political DNA.
Why DAP Collapsed in Sabah
First, DAP’s collaboration with Umno under PH coalition has proven to be its most self-destructive gamble. For years, the party positioned itself as the antidote to Umno-style governance. When it embraced its old adversary for federal power, voters saw it as hypocrisy - and punished it. Overall, voters perceive that the PH government is not doing enough to curb corruption and abuse of power.
Second, internal sabotage, defections, and dissatisfaction weakened its machinery. Constituents sensed the cracks, and voters abandoned them.
Third, Sabah politics is fundamentally local-centric. Unlike Peninsular Malaysia, where party loyalty still holds weight, Sabahans vote for candidates, not logos. DAP’s candidates - criticised for national influence, lacking charisma, service presence, and fighting spirit - simply could not match Warisan’s on-the-ground local strength, which is seen as more vocal on Sabah-specific issues.
Fourth, DAP’s identity has become “blurred”. The once fearless, outspoken party is now described by activists like Datuk Johan Ariffin Samad as “muted” and “MCA-like”. Voters believe the current leadership is too comfortable in federal positions, too detached from non-Malay and grassroot concerns, and lacking the fire spirit for Chinese education, higher learning, and entrepreneurship.
Even former Klang MP Charles Santiago admitted that when your most loyal base turns away, “it is no longer a warning - it is a verdict.”
Rise of Warisan and the Chinese Swing
Warisan emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the disillusionment. Securing 25 seats and sweeping urban, Chinese-majority areas, Dato' Seri Shafie Apdal openly thanked Chinese voters for the historic swing - an unprecedented show of support in his 36-year political career.
Warisan’s appeal lies in its Sabah-centric platform, clear advocacy for MA63, full-throated push for the 40% federal revenue entitlement, and its image as a homegrown party free from Peninsular influence.
To many urban voters, supporting Warisan today mirrors how Sarawakian Chinese support GPS - a move rooted in autonomy, dignity, non-discriminatory policies and regional pride.
Dangers for Anwar and PH: The Sabah Warning Is National
Anwar Ibrahim’s federal strength hinges on DAP’s parliamentary power. Yet DAP’s Sabah wipeout forecasts a troubling future for PH: the coalition’s Chinese “fixed deposit” is no longer fixed.
Moreover, DAP’s struggles in advancing federal issues important to non-Malays - such as UEC recognition, which current Sabah’s Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Sarawak’s Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, and Sabah's ex-chief minister Dato' Seri Shafie Apdal already accept - further erode PH’s credibility among its traditional supporters. Additionally, Sabah had a Malaysian Chinese deputy chief minister during Shafie Apdal’s tenure in the state government.
If regional blocs like Warisan, or even new third forces, expand into West Malaysia, DAP may lose vital urban support, giving these new forces a significant opening in GE16, as currently there is no alternative for PH voters.
Is This the Beginning of a National Slide?
Analysts like James Chin and Awang Azman warn that Sabah’s results are not an anomaly but a sign of rising anti-federal sentiment and frustration with PH’s ambiguity, mixed messaging, and internal contradictions.
Sabahans were angered by PH’s unclear explanation for appealing the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling on the 40% state revenue, rejecting the government’s claim that the appeal targeted only the ruling’s wording, not the formula itself.
The takeaway is clear:
Sabah has spoken, and its message is loud - voters want leaders grounded in service, policies clarity, and local identity. DAP and PH must rediscover its soul, or its fall in Sabah may foreshadow a nationwide decline.
PH is on shaky ground:
DAP’s wipeout and PH’s loss of ground is not just Sabah’s political earthquake.
It may be the first tremor before GE16’s big storm.
By: Kpost
Information Source:
Nst , TheStar , Fmt , Fmt , Borneopost , TheStar , Newswav , TheStar
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