By Ricky Sedomon
Lawyer cum Political Analysis, Bingkor, Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahan take notes with interest the comments of political analysts on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to contest only a limited number of seats in the upcoming Sabah state election – FMT dated 29th September 2025.
Analysts Bilcher Bala and Syahrudin Awang Ahmad interpreted PH’s concession as pragmatic recognition of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) dominance, and as a strategy to preserve “stability.” But the real lesson is clear: PH has admitted it is irrelevant in Sabah politics, reduced to a junior partner begging for space.
This exposes three truths:
Sabah’s politics are Sabah-first.
PH’s surrender of seats is not a gesture of respect but a confession of weakness. National coalitions have no roots here. They survive only by attaching themselves to local parties.
Federal coalitions trade Sabah’s democracy for federal stability.
By limiting seats to avoid clashes with GRS, PH has shown its priority is to protect Putrajaya — not to give Sabahans a real democratic choice. This is not “stability”; it is silencing Sabah’s voice.
Only Sabah-based parties can represent Sabah’s interests.
The analysts are correct on one point: grassroots morale within PH will collapse. Sabahans know the truth — if our future is left to federal coalitions, we will always be bargaining chips. Our destiny must be decided by Sabah parties, accountable to the people here, not by leaders in Kuala Lumpur.
PH’s concession should be a wake-up call: Sabah will never achieve equality or autonomy under Peninsular-led coalitions. The coming election is not about protecting federal partners — it is about restoring Sabah’s right to chart its own path.
