KOTA KINABALU, Sunday, 30 November 2025:
The election results yesterday vindicate the Sabah Progressive Party’s long-held view that Peninsula-based parties should not interfere in Sabah elections.
Despite deploying massive resources during the campaign, all “Malaya” parties performed poorly, reflecting a clear rejection by the Sabah electorate.
As a start, PN-PPBM should have stayed out of the Sabah elections entirely. The single seat won by PN-PAS did not reflect the coalition’s strength. It was due instead to the relatively weak machinery of GRS and Warisan in that constituency, combined with a last-minute candidate change. The sizeable number of voters at the Sepanggar Naval Base is also believed to have played a decisive role.
The once dominant Barisan Nasional (BN) has been reduced to six seats.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) suffered a complete wipeout. This stands in sharp contrast to their performance in the 2020 Sabah election and the 2022 parliamentary election, where they had commanding majorities.
As for the lone Pakatan Harapan (PH) victory in Melalap, it cannot be attributed to the strength of PH or PKR. The win was largely due to the fact that the candidate is fundamentally a GRS leader. Local factors mattered far more than the party flag.
SAPP takes comfort: The Sabah Rights agenda has won
Although SAPP did not win in the six areas we contested, we take great comfort in the fact that our core call for the rejection of Malaya parties has succeeded. The results show that awareness of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the demand for full autonomy have taken deep root in the hearts of Sabahans.
This awareness did not emerge overnight. It began when SAPP first raised MA63 during the 2010 Batu Sapi by-election. What was then a lone voice has grown into the mainstream sentiment of the people.
Our struggle was not in vain. The seeds we planted have borne fruit.
Moving forward, SAPP will continue to pursue the 40% entitlement, the resolution of the Territorial Sea Act 2012, and other key MA63 matters. Future elections, including parliamentary seats, will be a matter for “Sabah local parties only” as Sabahans reclaim our dignity and rights.
One lesson from this election is that campaigning requires significant resources to mobilise voters effectively. Despite having only little resources compared to our opponents, SAPP’s message reached far and wide, becoming loud and clear, thanks to the dedication and discipline of our teams and members, as reflected in the growing and deeper understanding of MA63 and autonomy across Sabah.
Chin Vui Kai
Information Chief
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)