Defeats across the board signal end of an era for DAP in Sabah urban strongholds - Analysts
For urban voters, political decisions are no longer driven by personalities or campaign appearances.
SHAH ALAM – Sabah voters’ discontent with the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led administration proved insurmountable in the 17th Sabah State Election, as DAP lost all eight seats it contested.
Analysts say that short-term appearances and speeches by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim were insufficient to overcome long-standing grievances held by voters, particularly on issues such as state autonomy and corruption.
Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Syaza Shukri from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) said that for urban voters, political decisions are no longer driven by personalities or campaign appearances.
Instead, Sabahans are focused on tangible results and many are currently disappointed with PH due to a range of issues, including MA63-related matters and corruption scandals.
“So Anwar’s presence alone was not enough to change their minds. I think the backlash is more specifically aimed at DAP, especially among urban and Chinese voters.
“DAP has not been as assertive as it should be on local and autonomy-related narratives and that disconnect is now showing in the results,” she said in an interview with Sinar Daily.
Syaza emphasised the importance of stronger local representation for DAP, highlighting that the party needs to reintroduce prominent local voices to avoid being perceived as a Peninsular-centric party parachuting into Sabah.
She also pointed out that despite DAP’s losses, GRS is performing well and because GRS collaborates with PH at the Federal level, Anwar can frame the outcome as a reflection of the people’s desire for stability through GRS–PH cooperation.
“But it has to be led by local parties and striking that balance will be crucial moving forward,” she added.
Political analyst and Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research Programme Director Ibrahim Suffian emphasised the limitations of last-minute campaigning, highlighting that even Anwar’s presence could not overcome deeply rooted voter dissatisfaction.
He described that short-term appearances or speeches are insufficient to address long-standing grievances that voters have been carrying.
“These are fundamental issues tied to governance and trust. No amount of last-minute campaigning can simply erase that. So even with the Prime Minister stepping in, voters remained firm in their frustration.
“Going forward, DAP cannot afford to abandon Sabah. They still have a base there, but now they fully understand how influential the swing voters are.
“Rebuilding trust will require them to rethink their role and positioning in future Sabah coalition governments.
“Most importantly, they may need to distance themselves from the current state government if they want to restore credibility and reconnect with voters who feel let down,” he told Sinar Daily.
The unofficial results confirmed DAP’s complete wipeout, with defeats across constituencies including Tanjung Aru, Sri Tanjong, Kapayan, Elopura, Likas, Luyang, and Tanjung Papat.
The party’s Deputy Chairman and Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, was defeated in Tanjung Aru by Parti Warisan, highlighting the depth of voter frustration.
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