Sabah election a test for Putrajaya

The Sabah election is creating history of sorts. For one, it will have the most cornered fights. Malayan-based parties are entering the fray to extend their control and reach over the state.

Muafakat Nasional (MN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are teaming with local parties to increase their chances. Each group is defending their turf. Stepping into the ring in the red corner will be the middleweight Warisan and their allies Upko, PKR and DAP, and in the blue corner are the heavyweights Umno, PAS, and PPBM – a combination fresh from their Slim by-election victory.

But Sabah is not Slim, and the issues and narratives are not the same. Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Annuar Musa has cautioned the party not to be overconfident, and rightly so. The so-called “backdoor” government, the switch of party allegiance by MPs, and the tug of war between MN and PN have left many confused.

The days of straight fights between BN and the rest are over. So is the distribution of free blue water tanks to villagers signifying election is around the corner. Money politics will still be there, and voters willingly take whatever is given and vote for the candidates of their choice.

The feedback from the ground following Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent visit to Sabah is mixed. His speech expressing disappointment that the incumbent state government was not aligned with the federal government has not been well received.

Tying development promises to political alignments is seen as a threat rather than seeking to improve state-federal relations. His rhetoric is of the “Umno past, vote PN and you will get more development funds”. Sabahans have been supporting the same people in power at the federal level since 1963, and yet it still has one of the highest poverty rates among the states in Malaysia.

Muhyiddin’s launch of PN’s logo in Kota Kinabalu did not go well as the main parties in the bloc have yet to agree to working under one banner. It seems the two competing groups – MN and PN – have yet to agree on many things. PAS, in the meantime, is playing bridesmaid to both sides and hedging bets.

Umno is a pale shadow of itself in Sabah. Former chief minister Musa Aman has failed so far in his bid for the right to form the state government, and this has dented Umno’s image.

Umno’s cause is not helped by the ongoing corruption trials of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and its Sabah chief, Bung Moktar Radin. Several Sabah Umno leaders are against the appointment of Bung to lead the BN campaign, fearing he might be a liability.

PAS will lose any seat they contest in Sabah by virtue of their “Islamist” stand. When Richard Malanjum, a Christian, was elected to the highest judicial office, PAS objected, saying only a Muslim could hold the post. Recently, Sabah leaders slammed PAS MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi for lacking sensitivity in saying the Bible was “distorted”. In another case, PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin likened a minister who broke quarantine orders to a Quranic “hero” and blamed the health and the foreign ministries for their negligence.

PAS will not take responsibility for their own actions or failures. To err is human, but to make Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali a “hero” is something else altogether.

The “Melayu Raya” concept brought up a couple of weeks ago will not get any traction in Sabah’s multi-ethnic multi-religious society, where there is considerable ethnic diversity. Sabahans have always maintained a harmonious society with respect to other’s culture and religion.

Any of Umno’s or PAS’ tactics in using religion and “Malay rights” will not win them any seats. Sabahans have seen the power of the people’s vote in GE14, and they are eager to show divisive parties and their ego the door.

The main election issue is still how to resolve the illegal migrant population numbering more than a million, which has put a strain on state resources and increased its security risks. Another issue is the failure of the federal government to accede to Sabah’s fair requests for more autonomy and revenue rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

The negotiations on Sabah’s right to the tax revenue under the constitution and an increase in oil royalties, and the right to impose petroleum sales tax are still ongoing. People are not happy that the report and final outcome of the 21 items under MA63, of which 17 have been agreed to, are now classified under the Official Secrets Act.

Social media is rife with predictions of several political grouping scenarios and the possible outcomes. In the opposition, we have PN, BN, MN, the third force, and independents.

While Sabahans prefer local parties to form the government, the likes of Umno, PPBM, PKR and DAP are using Sabah as their test beds for the upcoming Sarawak and federal elections. The Sabah election is now the battleground to test Muhyiddin’s leadership and his influence over the once dominant Umno.

Both Umno and PAS have a strong Malay political base, but nothing like that in Sabah. The fractured KadazanDusun parties have not been able to unite and will need the help of Warisan or Malaya-based parties to form the government.

There is an air of defiance similar to the time of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) when Joseph Pairin Kitingan broke away from the clutches of BN, and Sabah went on its own. Warisan has that independent streak led by Shafie Apdal.

One veteran politician summed it up like this: “We have survived all these years with or without the help of the BN government. Nothing has changed, and the destiny is always in our hands”. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.