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The Sabah State Legislative Assembly was officially dissolved on 6 October 2025, setting the stage for the 17th Sabah state election.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced the dissolution after obtaining approval from the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Musa Aman. The move opens a 60-day window for the state to conduct elections, meaning voting must be held by 7 December 2025 at the latest.
The election will fill 73 seats in the State Legislative Assembly, where a simple majority requires 37 seats.
According to Malay Mail, the current government coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led by Hajiji Noor, seeks a renewed mandate.
Other major players include WARISAN, Barisan Nasional (BN)/UMNO Sabah, and newer parties such as Parti Rumpun Sabah (RUMPUN).
GRS confidence and the call for continuity
Hajiji Noor described 6 October as “the best day” to dissolve the Assembly, expressing his confidence that GRS can retain power and continue its “Sabah Maju Jaya” agenda.
He emphasized that the government’s developmental plans in agriculture, industry, and tourism are not yet complete.
BN/UMNO vow full throttle campaign
UMNO Sabah (under Barisan Nasional) declared it is “100 percent ready” for the election, Malay Mail reported.
Its state chairman, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, urged all party machinery to mobilise immediately, arguing that the current GRS government has underperformed in areas like development, investment, and job creation.
WARISAN and opposition voices
WARISAN has positioned itself as the champion of change, calling on Sabahans to “judge the record” of the outgoing administration. The opposition will also challenge GRS’s policies on equity, local rights, and state autonomy.
Meanwhile, newcomer RUMPUN (founded in 2024) is banking on Sabah-centric narratives — local identity, autonomy, and Muslim representation — to carve out space in this contest. Whether it can translate that into winning seats, however, remains to be seen.
What happens next?
With dissolution confirmed, here’s what Sabah can expect in the run-up to polling day:
- Issuance of Writ of Election — The formal legal order to hold the election.
- Nomination Day — Candidates file their paperwork to contest.
- Campaign Period — Rallies, debates, manifestos, and ground campaigning intensify.
- Advance Voting / Postal Voting — For Malaysians overseas, early-stage votes may be held.
- Polling Day — Voters elect their assembly representatives.
During this period, alliances may shift, candidate selections could evolve, and last-minute deals are possible — especially in Sabah’s often fluid political landscape.
How the Sabah state election differs from the rest of Malaysia
The Sabah state election stands out as one of the most unique political events in Malaysia, with several features that set it apart from polls in the rest of the country.
Sabah voters will be choosing representatives for 73 state assembly seats, a larger number than most Peninsular states, following an increase in 2020 to reflect the state’s vast geography and diverse constituencies.
Unlike the more structured politics of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah has a long history of political fluidity, where shifting alliances and party-hopping are common.
Local parties such as WARISAN, GRS, STAR, PBS and UPKO often dominate the landscape, at times overshadowing national coalitions like Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional.
Another key difference lies in Sabah’s historical position under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which granted the state special autonomy and rights when it joined Malaysia. As a result, state issues such as immigration control, use of English, and resource rights take centre stage in campaigns, making autonomy and identity central themes in Sabah elections.
Sabah also differs in terms of timing, as its polls are often held separately from general elections or Peninsular state contests. For example, Sabah last voted in September 2020, separate from the 2022 general election, and now faces another state election in late 2025 while states such as Selangor and Penang had their polls in 2023.
Beyond politics and law, Sabah’s diversity and geography play a major role. With ethnic groups such as Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, Bajau, Suluk, Malay and Chinese spread across both urban centres and remote rural areas, campaigning requires delicate balancing across ethnic and religious lines.
At the same time, the rugged terrain, mountainous interiors and scattered islands make election logistics—from ballot distribution to voter access—far more challenging than in other states.
Taken together, these factors explain why Sabah’s state election is seen as unpredictable and highly significant. It is shaped by a mix of autonomy, diversity and political realignment that make it a unique battleground in Malaysian politics.
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