USNO president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said party affiliation no longer guarantees electoral victories in Sabah, and that voters are choosing individuals over political brands.
The former Dewan Rakyat speaker dismissed the idea that only major political parties can secure wins, pointing out that independent candidates and 'mosquito parties' (lesser-known parties) also could defy expectations.
“They call us a mosquito party, a small party. But if you think only big parties can win, look at the facts,” he said at a USNO Jelajah function in Kunak.
He cited Datuk Rubin Balang’s victory in Tenom’s Kemabong state seat, along with similar wins by his son Riduan Rubin (Tenom MP), Datuk Seri Ruddy Awah (Pitas), and Datuk Masiung Banah (Tongod).
“Rubin Balang contested in Tenom and won as an independent. His son also contested as an independent and won. Masiung Banah? Contested as an independent and won,” he said.
He also pointed to a civil servant with no political experience who won in Banggi under Warisan’s ticket in the 2020 Sabah election.
“In Banggi, Warisan’s candidate was just a government officer. He had never served the community, never done anything for the people, yet he won just because he carried a party logo,” he said.
Pandikar said these cases prove that party affiliation is no longer the deciding factor in Sabah’s elections.
“If national parties think they control Sabah, they are mistaken. The voters decide, and in Sabah, you don’t need a big party to win,” he added.
He acknowledged that many dismiss USNO and the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) as parties that cannot win seats, but said such assumptions ignore the reality of voter sentiment.
“People look at USNO and SAPP and say we cannot win. They call us mosquito parties. But do you think a mosquito cannot bite?” he said.
Pandikar also questioned the credibility of Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, saying their past roles as federal ministers should be scrutinised before they criticise the current state government.
“Shafie, Bung — you were ministers before ... but what did you achieve? Hajiji is just starting, and now you want to compare?” he said.
He said both leaders had ample time in government but failed to bring real improvements to Sabah.
“They blame the government now, but they had their time. If they didn’t fix things then, why should we listen to them now?” he said.
Pandikar confirmed that USNO will contest in Kudat in the upcoming state election, saying the party is reclaiming its historical ground.
“USNO started in Kudat. That’s where our roots are, and that’s where we will stand,” he said.
He also said he is lobbying for GRS to allocate Banggi to USNO, arguing that his party deserves the same opportunity that Warisan had in 2020.
“If Warisan could get Muhammad elected in Banggi, why can’t GRS help our candidate win?” he asked.
Banggi assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Mohamarin switched allegiance from Warisan to GRS in 2023. - February 10, 2025.
