By Mohd Ustar Abdul Ghani
KOTA KINABALU: In Sabah’s interior constituency of Sook, electoral outcomes often defy national political trends.
While political narratives elsewhere emphasise reform, autonomy, or the “Sabah for Sabahans” slogan, voting behaviour in Sook where the Momogun communities form a significant portion of the electorate remains shaped by local realities.
Pensiangan has repeatedly returned Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup to Parliament and recently Sook sent him to the State Assembly, despite his affiliation with a national-based party or rather Barisan Nasional (BN) and his proximity to federal power.
This apparent contradiction reveals an important truth about Sabah politics where local realities often outweigh grand political narratives.
Arthur Kurup’s appeal in Pensiangan and Sook is anchored less in ideology than in visibility and delivery.
In constituencies where infrastructure gaps remain acute and where poor roads, limited access to clean water, and unreliable electricity, inevitably politics is judged by tangible outcomes.
As a politician and now a federal minister with direct access to Putrajaya, Arthur has been able to translate political position into material benefits, from development projects to constituency-level assistance.
In rural Sabah, proximity to power still matters.
The “Sabah for Sabahans” narrative while powerful in urban centres and politically conscious voters, often struggles to penetrate areas where day-to-day survival takes precedence over constitutional debates.
For many I Sook, state rights, oil royalties, and autonomy feel abstract compared to the immediacy of road repairs, schools, and livelihood support.
Arthur Kurup’s campaigns have consistently focused on service delivery rather than identity politics, allowing him to sidestep ideological battles and present himself as a pragmatic problem-solver.
There is also a question of personal politics. Sabah’s electoral culture has long been shaped by personalities rather than party brands. Voters frequently distinguish between the individual and the party he represents.
Arthur Kurup benefits from this tradition. He is seen less as a symbol of federal intrusion and more as a familiar local figure who understands the terrain both literally and politically.
Like in many rural areas, in Sook, trust is built through presence, attending local events, responding to community leaders, and maintaining networks that extend beyond election seasons.
Moreover the “Sabah for Sabahans” slogan has not always translated into a coherent alternative.
Local parties invoking the mantra have often been fragmented, inconsistent, or internally divided.
Without a unified vision or a proven track record of governance, the slogan risks sounding aspirational rather than practical.
Against this backdrop, Arthur Kurup’s alignment with the federal government can appear not as a liability, but as an advantage, particularly when voters are weighing promises against performance.
Comparing his political style with another Momogun political veteran, Jeffery Kitingan, reveals a contrasting political approach.
Kitingan is a veteran regionalist who foregrounds Sabah rights, indigenous Identity and autonomy, often adopting a combative bargaining style that positions him as a kingmaker in shifting conditions.
His politics is driven by symbolism, state grievances, and strategic leverage.
Arthur Kurup, by contrast, practises a more pragmatic and technocratic style.
Operating within Barisan National and federal coalition structures, he emphasises service delivery, development and constituency work.
While Kitingan mobilises sentiment and pressure, Kurup prioritises “stability, institutional access and incremental gains for his electorates”.
His victories also highlight a broader paradox in Sabah politics.
While there is widespread resentment towards federal neglect, there is simultaneously an expectation that meaningful development still flows from the centre.
This tension creates space for politicians who can bridge both worlds, locally grounded yet federally connected.
Arthur Kurup occupies this space effectively turning what might be perceived as political contradiction into electoral strength.
Ultimately, Arthur Kurup continued success in Pensiangan and Sook suggests that Sabah politics is not driven by slogans alone.
Identity-based narratives resonate, but they do not automatically override considerations of access, delivery, and personal credibility.
In constituencies like Sook, voters are less interested in who owns the slogan than in who holds the keys to development.
Until the “Sabah for Sabahans” can convincingly answer that question, figures like Arthur Kurup are likely to keep winning whether with mantra or not.
