UiTM analysis projects BN and GRS winning 18 seats each in Sabah election, with Warisan 16 and PH 14, forcing coalition government negotiations
KOTA KINABALU: The 17th Sabah State Election is expected to produce a hung assembly, requiring government formation through post-election negotiations.
Universiti Teknologi MARA senior lecturer Dr Ismail Rakibe’s analysis shows no single coalition or party will achieve a clear plurality.
Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah are each projected to win 18 seats in the 73-member assembly.
Parti Warisan is forecast to secure 16 seats, while Pakatan Harapan follows with 14.
Perikatan Nasional is expected to win three seats, with four going to smaller parties and independents.
“The next Sabah government is likely to be formed through negotiations between parties after the election,” the analysis stated.
Final outcomes will depend on inter-party negotiations and agreements with smaller blocs.
The election features multi-cornered contests with minimal ideological differentiation between candidates.
Candidate-centric voting patterns are particularly strong in semi-urban and rural areas.
Tulid seat has the most crowded field with 14 candidates, followed by Bandau, Tamparuli and Inanam with 13 each.
More than 660,000 new voters under Undi18 and automatic registration represent nearly 30% of Sabah’s electorate.
Surveys identified political stability demands and youth voting patterns as key electoral dynamics.
Young voters assess candidates based on integrity, performance and ability to address daily issues like water and roads.
Stability desires remain dominant among rural and semi-urban voters seeking orderly administration.
Approximately 960,000 of the 1.76 million registered voters are aged 18 to 39.
BN and GRS dominate young voter interest on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
PN and Warisan face challenges in campaign resources and digital outreach.
A total of 596 candidates are contesting across 73 state seats.
Independent candidates form the largest group with 74 contenders, followed by Warisan with 73.
Polling for the fiercely contested election takes place tomorrow. – Bernama
