Vote counting underway in Sabah state election

Key Concepts

• Sabah State Election: A fiercely contested election for 73 assembly seats in Sabah, Malaysia.
• Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS): The incumbent coalition, led by Chief Minister Jinur.
• Warisan: A major opposition party.
• Barisan Nasional (BN): Another significant political coalition.
• Parti Harapan (PH): A federal partner of GRS.
• Multicorned Fights: Elections with multiple candidates from different parties and independents competing in each constituency.
• State Autonomy: Growing calls for greater self-governance for Sabah.
• Unofficial Results: Preliminary vote counts released before the official announcement by the Election Commission.
• Voter Turnout: The percentage of eligible voters who cast their ballots.
• Kingmakers: Smaller parties or independent candidates who can influence the formation of a government by supporting a larger coalition.
• Horse Trading: Negotiations and potential alliances formed after election results are known to secure a majority.

Sabah State Election: Vote Counting Underway

A tense night of vote counting is in progress for Sabah's election, with 73 assembly seats at stake. Preliminary results were anticipated from 10 p.m., with the possibility of delays past midnight due to bad weather. This year's election saw a record nearly 600 candidates competing, with every constituency featuring multicorned fights, reflecting growing calls for greater state autonomy.

Atmosphere at Chief Minister's Residence

CNA senior correspondent Afifa Arien reported live from Kota Kinabalu, outside the residence of Chief Minister Jinur, the leader of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). The atmosphere was described as slowly building, with media members in position. GRS candidates were expected to arrive to observe the unofficial results. A large screen displayed the tally across all 73 seats, showing GRS leading with 14 seats, followed by Warisan with eight, and Barisan National with three. These were noted as unofficial numbers, pending the Election Commission's announcement. The mood was calm but filled with anticipation as candidates and party leaders awaited early trends.

Election Commission Expectations and Voter Turnout

The Election Commission expected to release final results by approximately 10 p.m., with a full picture anticipated by midnight. This would also reveal the official voter turnout. The last update at 4 p.m. indicated a turnout of about 61%, compared to 66% in the 2020 state election. The results would indicate whether Sabah maintained its level of political engagement.

Fragmented Contest and Potential Outcomes

A key focus of the election was to see how the highly fragmented contest, with nearly 600 candidates across 73 seats, would translate into final seat numbers. Competition was described as very tough, with razor-thin margins of victory. Major blocs like GRS, Warisan, Parti Harapan (PH), and Barisan Nasional were competing neck and neck.

GRS aimed to lead the next Sabah state government with its federal partners, PH and Barisan Nasional. However, strong competition was expected from Warisan, along with other Sabah-based parties, independents, and smaller parties that could emerge as kingmakers if the results were very tight.

The next two hours were crucial for observing the development of early trends from unofficial results to determine if Sabah would have a clear winner or if intense negotiations and horse trading would ensue.