Commentary By
Datuk Kalimullah Hassan
THE DUST has not settled on the 17th Sabah polls which concluded last night.
But at least two things were clear : –
- despite pulling all the plugs, there was a Sabah wave and after years of sloganeering, Sabah for Sabahans became a reality.
- Secondly, it showed Sabahans don’t really much care if the people they elected loot them as long as the looters are Sabahans. Many of those implicated of taking money were re-elected. But while it was a hung assembly with no one getting a clear majority, it was easy to predict who’d form the Government stealthily – as has usually been in Kota Kinabalu – the one with most money (GRS) and the ones with the least principles (the independents and the peripheral parties).
They don’t know any other way.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was the biggest loser – his party winning only one of 73 seats.
The DAP, a close second, winning zero after almost five decades of presence in Sabah.
And third, former chief Minister Shafie Apdal who despite wiping out the DAP, and winning the second highest block of seats, could not get past the last mile.
I was not wrong when I said a few days ago that KUALA LUMPUR knows little about Sabahans.
It’s just a vote bank to them.
And I said most Sabahan leaders exploit Sabahans. The two have ensured Sabahans remain poor in what was once a very rich state.
I also said Chinese votes were abandoning the DAP.
I will say to DAP – no need to waste time for a post mortem.
You acquiesced and justified the abuses. You paid a price for taking voters for granted.
2025 was a battle of the uglies. I think for my generation of people, Sabah has reached the end of its runway.
In the coming days, there will be a lot of analysis, false promises (again), threats (like as if Sabahans are there to be bullied) and honestly, a boiling-frog realisation that this is and was the last opportunity.
I almost wanted to “migrate” to Sabah in the late 1980s. Almost.
It’s a wonderful piece of heaven.
But today, those who have loved you Sabah, cry for you.
