PH will not contest BN seats in Sabah – Anthony Loke

IPOH - Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) have agreed not to contest against each other in the upcoming Sabah state election, with both coalitions adopting an “incumbent seat formula” to preserve their cooperation.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said both sides reached a consensus to let the incumbent party retain the right to contest in seats it previously won.

“This is a basic principle reached between PH and BN, which is to follow the incumbent. If any seat was won by their side, of course PH must respect that the seat will again be contested by our partner.

“The same applies the other way around, if the seat belongs to PH, then BN must respect it,” he told reporters after officiating the 23rd Perak DAP annual convention at a hotel here on Sunday.

Also present was Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming.

Loke (fifth from right) with guests and delegates attending the 23rd Perak DAP annual convention at a hotel in Ipoh on Sunday.

Loke said the approach should be extended to Sabah to ensure negotiations over seat allocations are conducted smoothly and harmoniously between the two coalitions.

He also dismissed concerns over potential defections, saying the party has strong safeguards against such acts.

“In our party, there is a clause stating that if a person wins under the party’s ticket and later defects to another party, they automatically lose their membership.

“When they lose their membership, they also lose their seat as they are bound by the Anti-Party Hopping Act in the state,” he said.

Loke added that DAP remains confident in the commitment and loyalty of its emerging leaders in Sabah to continue strengthening the party’s presence and the PH-BN partnership in the state.

During the 16th Sabah state election, DAP contested seven seats and won six - Luyang, Likas, Kapayan, Sri Tanjong, Elopura and Tanjong Papat. However, two of its assemblymen from Elopura and Sri Tanjong defected to Parti Warisan in 2022.

The state’s political landscape remains one of Malaysia’s most fluid, characterised by shifting alliances and regional parties competing alongside national coalitions such as PH, BN and PN.

Analysts note that the PH-BN decision to coordinate seats in Sabah mirrors their national cooperation strategy, aimed at preventing internal competition and consolidating voter support amid a fragmented local political environment.