WARISAN President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has sounded the alarm over the growing fragmentation of Sabah’s political landscape, warning that the surge in multi-cornered electoral contests could one day see up to 50 candidates competing for a single seat.
Speaking ahead of the 17th Sabah Election on November 29, Shafie pointed to the unprecedented 596 candidates contesting state seats, with some constituencies facing 10 to 12 contenders and Tulid in the interior registering as many as 14.
“Some families are contesting against each other. This will break up families. I experienced this myself when members of my own family contested against me. But now, they are united again under Warisan,” Daily Express cited him saying today, underscoring the personal and societal strain caused by highly fragmented contests.
While acknowledging that younger voters may view such contests as “democracy at work”, Shafie warned that the reality is a divided electorate, vulnerable to exploitation by political opportunists. “If we allow this to continue, it might not stop at 14 candidates. One day we might see 50 people running for one seat. Sabahans must take the initiative to restore unity,” he added.
Beyond the electoral sphere, Shafie lamented persistent infrastructure challenges in Sabah, citing shortcomings in water, electricity, and transport services despite multi-billion-ringgit annual budgets.
He highlighted Warisan-era initiatives that boosted tourism, including a RM300 million government-backed loan to AirAsia, which enabled direct international flights from China, Korea, Indonesia, Australia, and Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah.
“I told Tony Fernandes, if we lend you money, make sure flights come straight to Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, and Sandakan.
Today, you can see tourists from Korea and beyond filling our hotels and resorts, especially in Semporna, which now has a five-star hotel. Kota Belud still has none,” he said, noting regional disparities in development.
Shafie also criticised the underutilisation of Sabah’s resources, observing that 300,000 residents are forced to seek employment on the peninsula.
“Furniture factories in Singapore and Johor use timber from Sabah. Yet we never built these industries here,” he said, contrasting this with Warisan’s past initiatives such as a cooking oil plant in Tawau and planned facilities in Pitas, Keningau, and Sandakan.
“If Warisan returns to power, it would prioritise industrial development in Sabah to create employment and reduce reliance on external markets,” he said.
Turning to Kota Belud, where four state seats are in play, Shafie revealed that Warisan would field younger candidates to inject fresh energy into local politics.
“In Kota Belud, the time has come for new faces. We cannot depend solely on those who have served far too long but didn’t do much,” he said, highlighting the district’s agricultural strengths, historical padi cultivation, tourism potential, and opportunities in aquaculture and crab farming.
“When industries flourish, job opportunities follow. And when people have jobs, that becomes a major tool in eradicating poverty in Sabah,” he added - November 20, 2025
