Political analysts have advised Pakatan Harapan (PH) to adopt a pragmatic approach in seat negotiations for the upcoming Sabah state election, citing the coalition’s modest performance in the 2020 polls and the strong preference for local parties among voters.
Syahruddin Awang Ahmad, from the think tank Borneo Geo-Politics & Electoral Studies, highlighted that PH, particularly PKR, secured only two of the eight seats it contested in 2020—Inanam and Api-Api.
“It would be better for PKR to use its resources to defend these two seats. It would be a more sensible strategy,” Syahruddin told FMT, responding to reports that PH was eyeing 23 seats.
According to Malaysiakini, PH proposed that PKR contest 13 seats, with DAP and Upko splitting the remaining 10 equally.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook confirmed that his party intends to defend the six seats it won in 2020—Luyang, Likas, Kapayan, Sri Tanjong, Elopura, and Tanjong Papat—while also targeting two rural constituencies. Meanwhile, GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun announced that GRS plans to contest 55 of the state’s 73 seats, leaving 18 for PH.
Syahruddin supported GRS’s bid for the majority of seats, noting its strong influence among Sabahans who favour locally based parties. “If PH and PKR demand too many seats, it will lead to the perception that national parties are still looking to dominate Sabah’s political landscape,” he cautioned, warning that such a move could undermine voter confidence in Sabah’s autonomy.
Lee Kuok Tiung, from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, echoed the call for realism, pointing out that PH’s popularity in Sabah has remained stagnant. “This is no time to demand more seats, as they could inadvertently checkmate themselves,” he said, referencing the intense power struggle between GRS and Umno in the state.
However, Wong Chin Huat from Sunway University argued that PH’s request for 23 seats is not excessive, given that PKR and DAP contested 27 seats in the last election. Upko, which joined PH in 2021, won one of 12 seats contested.
“The best way to determine seat distribution is by assessing the winnability in the respective constituencies, which does not solely depend on the coalition or party, but the candidate,” Wong said, suggesting that a survey be conducted to guide negotiations.
