Sabah has always been known for its colourful politics, but the 17th Sabah state election in 2025 has crossed into uncharted territory, transforming the democratic process into a political carnival of unprecedented proportions.
With 596 candidates contesting 73 seats and an explosion of 13 and 14-cornered fights, this year’s polls are not just competitive - they are chaotic, unpredictable, and unlike anything the nation has ever seen.
GRS, Pakatan, and Barisan are leading the charge for a renewed mandate as they face off against a crowded field of rivals. The contest features an extraordinary spread of contenders: 22 candidates from Pakatan Harapan (PH), 55 from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), 73 from Parti Warisan, 45 from Barisan Nasional (BN), 42 from Perikatan Nasional (PN), 72 from Parti Impian Sabah, 46 from Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), 40 from Parti KDM, and an overwhelming 74 independents.
After nominations closed, Tulid is heating up as the most hotly contested seat with 14 candidates. At the centre of the storm are other intense constituencies like Tamparuli, Kapayan, Inanam, and Bandau, each hosting astonishing 13-cornered brawls. These aren't mere constituency contests; they are political battle royales where veterans, political heirs, new faces, and independents collide in a scramble for influence.
Tamparuli: A Family Affair Meets a Political Veteran in a Free-for-All
Tamparuli is among the most dramatic seats this round, with 13 candidates including:
Datuk Seri Madius Tangau, UPKO honorary party president, ex-deputy chief minister of Sabah and formerly a federal minister,
Julia Emelda Ongkili, daughter of the late James Ongkili, former Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah,
Johan Jahid, son of incumbent Jahid Jahim, running as an independent, alongside six other independents and party contenders.
This seat, with its sheer number of candidates, will undoubtedly draw significant attention, as a stacked lineup of political lineage and raw ambition squares off against a current party leader and seasoned political veteran.
DAP’s Jannie Lasimbang vs 12 Challengers in Kapayan
DAP heavyweight Jannie Lasimbang also faces a 13-cornered fight in her Kapayan stronghold.
Among her challengers is a representative linked to Mukhriz Mahathir’s Pejuang, signalling national-level attention on a supposedly local contest.
Her defence of the seat will test both party machinery and personal grassroots reach.
Inanam and Moyog: Former Reps, Returning Veterans, and Political Clashes
In Inanam - a Pakatan Harapan stronghold since 2013 - three former state assemblypersons are entering the fray, making the 13-cornered contest a battlefield of comebacks and revenge bids.
In Moyog, a 12-way clash sees two former assemblymen - Terrence Siambun and Donald Peter Mojuntin - fighting against a wave of GRS, PH, and local party candidates.
Heavyweights Holding the Line: Hajiji, Bung, Shafie Apdal, and Pandikar Amin
Even traditionally safe seats have become risky, facing split votes and multiple challengers - especially for heavyweights who held only a slim majority in the previous state election.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor - GRS chairman - a political titan, faces four challengers in Sulaman - a rare crowd for a sitting CM while his key political rival, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal - Warisan president - is also contending in a four-cornered battle for his Senallang state seat in Semporna.
Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin - Sabah BN chairman - faces a 6-cornered challenge in Lamag, where he previously scraped through with a slim majority.
Another former chief minister, Dato' Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak - Sabah Umno treasurer - will defend his Usukan seat under BN ticket, which he won in the previous state election.
Meanwhile, Sabah STAR president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan faces a seven-way contest for his Tambunan seat, which has remained in his family for the past 50 years.
UPKO president Datuk Ewon Benedick is facing an eight-way battle to defend his Kadamaian seat, which he has held since 2018.
And in one of the most symbolic developments, Usno president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, former Dewan Rakyat Speaker and veteran Umno leader, is making a comeback in Pintasan (11-cornered fight), showcasing the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy chairman as a seasoned leader to anchor an unpredictable election map.
Dynasties on the Ballot: When Influential Families Shape the Election Map
Beyond the crowded fields, the 2025 Sabah election is also a showcase of powerful political families, underlining how political lineage continues to influence candidate selection.
This Sabah state election will feature Governor Tun Musa Aman's two sons in entering the foray as candidates for the Sindumin and Sungai Manila seats.
Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa, 48, a former deputy finance minister II, is contesting the Sindumin seat (ten-cornered contest) for Pakatan Harapan (PH), while his younger brother, Hazem Mubarak Musa, 43, is representing the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition in Sungai Manila (six-cornered race).
Warisan has introduced Fauziah Fuad Stephens, daughter of Sabah’s first Chief Minister, the late Tun Fuad Stephens, as part of its renewal push.
KDM features Priscella Peter, daughter of former minister Peter Anthony. Even in Tamparuli, candidates linked to former Deputy Chief Minister and sitting incumbents are entering the fray.
These names demonstrate how family networks remain one of Sabah’s strongest political currencies, intertwining legacy, community influence, and electoral strategy in a way that few other states can match.
A Contest Beyond Logic or the Logical Result of Sabah’s Political DNA?
This election reveals the soul of Sabah politics: highly decentralised, personality-driven, and fiercely contested. The rise of 74 independent candidates, the persistence of political dynasties, and the resurgence of old heavyweights show a state where political identity is fluid - yet deeply rooted in community loyalty.
But with so many choices, voters face a dilemma: Will an overcrowded ballot lead to stronger representation - or just dangerously split votes? Sabah may once again become the nation’s political laboratory, proving whether too much democracy can be just as complicated as too little choice.
On one hand, multi-cornered fights offer voters more choices than ever. On the other, they risk splitting votes so thinly that winners may emerge with barely a fraction of total support - weakening mandates and encouraging post-election defections, a familiar Sabah headache.
By: Kpost
Full List of Candidates for the Sabah State Election 2025:
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