Sabah Polls: Exceptional showing by Perikatan Nasional

PN, comprising Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) and Parti Progresif Sabah (SAPP), all of which contested under one logo, managed to win 17 out of 29 seats contested, or about 59 per cent.

They won in Bandau, Pintasan; Sulaman; Kawang; Membakut; Klias; Kuala Penyu; Karanaan; Paginatan; Tambunan; Bingkor; Liawan; Tulid; Sook; Nabawan; Labuk and Apas.

Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor performed exceptionally well in the Sulaman seat, securing a 3,099 majority win over Rekan Hussien from Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) and Aliasgar @ Ali Ashgar Basri from Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan).

Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, meanwhile, retained his Tambunan seat with a 6,792 majority win in the six-cornered contest.

Barisan Nasional (BN), made up of UMNO, MCA and PBRS, and an ally in GRS won 14 of the 41 seats contested.

BN-UMNO won 34 per cent of the seats contested, namely Bengkoka; Tempasuk; Usukan; Pantai Dalit; Karambunai; Tanjung Keramat; Pantai Manis; Sugut; Sungai Manila; Sungai Sibuga; Lamag; Sukau; Balung and Tanjung Batu.

BN-MCA which contested in four seats - Kapayan, Elopura, Karamunting and Likas - and BN-PBRS which contested in Mattunggong, Tandek, Kadamaian, Tulid and Sook failed to win any of the seats contested.

Overall, BN's performance declined compared to the 29 seats won by the party in the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018.

Completing GRS’ 38-seat victory were the seven seats won by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in Matunggong; Tandek; Tamparuli; Kiulu; Lumadan; Kundasang and Telupid.

Meanwhile, despite failing to defend the state government, Warisan had put up a better performance compared to GE14 after winning 29 of the 54 contested compared to 21 seats in GE14.

Warisan Plus ally, PKR retained the two seats won in the last GE, namely Inanam and Api-Api while UPKO only won the Kadamaian seat out of 12 seats contested.

The state election had been touted an intense battle between GRS and Warisan Plus with local parties including PCS, which contested in all 73 seats, failing to secure a single win.

The same fate fell on Parti Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Sabah Bersatu (USNO); Liberal Democratic Party (LDP); Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan); Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS); Sabah Native Co-operation Party (Anak Negeri); Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) and Parti Kebangsaan Sabah (PKS).

However, three seats were won by Independent candidates - Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah (Pitas); Datuk Rubin Balang (Kemabong) and Datuk Masiung Banah (Kuamut).