Sabah voters turn inwards as state nationalism surges, analyst warn of alarming political shift

SHAH ALAM - A powerful wave of 'Sabah for Sabahan' sentiment became the defining force of the 17th Sabah state election, reshaping the political landscape and propelling parties like Warisan and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to significant gains, according to political analyst Professor James Chin.

Chin said the results showed a clear rejection of outside interference, particularly from Peninsular Malaysia.

“Warisan won because of the very strong rise of state nationalism, 'Sabah for Sabahans' and also the very strong anti-Malaya sentiment on the ground.

"They benefited from it, but they’re not the only ones. GRS, which played on this sentiment, also did very well," he told Sinar Daily.

He said the election outcome reflected a broader psychological shift among Sabahans, who have grown increasingly frustrated with federal intervention and policies perceived as ignoring local needs.

“The whole state election is about the people of Sabah turning inwards. They do not like interference from Peninsula Malaysia,” he added.

Pas’ gains raise red flags

While the full results were still being finalised, early indications of Pas making inroads in the Karambunai seat have raised alarm among analysts. He warned that any major breakthrough by Pas in Sabah would mark a dangerous shift.

"If Pas really did win, then Malaysia is in big trouble. It means a significant portion of Muslim voters in Sabah want to import the kind of toxic political Islam into Sabah," he said.

He stressed that such a development would fundamentally alter Sabah’s moderate political culture.

"If that happens, the Muslim political trend in Sabah will follow Malaya and that is really, really bad news," he added.