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Malaysia PM Anwar Faces Setback as Allies Suffer Major Defeat in Sabah State Elections
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition suffers a major setback as allied parties win only one seat in Sabah’s regional elections—his first electoral test in three years. Analysts say local autonomy and infrastructure issues drove voter sentiment.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suffered an electoral setback after his allied parties were decisively defeated in the Sabah state elections, according to results released on Sunday—marking the first major political test of his three-year administration.
Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won only one of the 20 seats it contested in Sabah, a steep drop from the seven seats it previously held in the eastern state on the island of Borneo.
“The Sabah election results show that Anwar’s coalition has suffered a significant defeat,” said Lee Kuok Tiung, associate professor and political analyst at Universiti Malaysia.
Saturday’s vote was the first in a series of regional elections that will gauge Anwar’s support ahead of Malaysia’s national polls expected in early 2028.
Despite PH’s poor performance, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)—a coalition of state-based parties aligned with Anwar’s ruling bloc—retained control of Sabah, one of Malaysia’s largest and least developed states. GRS had been under growing pressure over its ties with the federal coalition amid rising calls for greater state autonomy.
Anwar congratulated GRS leader Hajiji Noor on his reappointment as Sabah’s chief minister, saying the federal government “fully respects the strong and clear message from the people of Sabah.”
“After facing injustice and neglect from almost all parties, they are demanding genuine change,” Anwar wrote on social media on Sunday.
He did not comment on his PH allies’ losses, and his office declined to respond.
Lee noted that Sabah voters prioritize local parties, stronger autonomy, and improvements in basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, and roads.
He added that Anwar must better understand local sentiment and review the government’s progress on past commitments.
Tensions escalated earlier this month when a Sabah minister resigned from Anwar’s cabinet, following an October court ruling that found the federal government had unlawfully failed to honor a decades-old agreement with the state.
Under that agreement, Sabah was entitled to 40% of the federal revenue generated from the state. Anwar said on Sunday that his administration has been working to resolve Sabah’s claim and will continue to support the state.
Anwar became prime minister in November 2022 after forming a unity government with several rival parties following an inconclusive general election that left Parliament fragmented.
