UMNO has been laying the groundwork for the 17th Sabah State Election for over a year, with the party now entering the final phase of readiness ahead of the expected poll.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, Chief of the UMNO Central War Room Secretariat, said preparations began in earnest in 2023 and include the reorganisation of the election machinery and strengthening of grassroots structures.
“This time, the UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) machinery is far more prepared compared to the 2020 state election, thanks to a focused and coordinated approach led by state leadership,” said Ahmad, who is also a member of the UMNO Supreme Council.
He added that Sabah UMNO chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had already identified several potential candidates for the coming state polls.
“During my recent three-day visit to Sabah, I observed that UMNO, BN and even Pakatan Harapan (PH) have all mobilised early – much earlier than in 2020,” he said.
Ahmad was speaking to reporters on Saturday after officiating the Annual General Meeting and Student Awards Ceremony at Parit Semerah Religious School in Taman Saujana, Johor.
The 17th Sabah state election is expected to take place within the year, with the current state administration, led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, nearing the end of its term in October 2025.
In anticipation of the election, UMNO has postponed its 2025 General Assembly (PAU) from 20–23 August to 26–29 November, to allow full focus on state election preparations. The decision was confirmed by UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki following a Supreme Council meeting.
Looking ahead to the polls, Ahmad said UMNO is likely to contest between 25 and 30 state seats.
“Our target of contesting 25 to 30 seats is realistic and based on winnability. We are not interested in fielding candidates in more seats just for the sake of numbers, especially if chances of winning are slim,” he explained.
“We don’t want a repeat of the last-minute scramble we faced in PRN 2020. This time, planning is thorough. We’ve held candidate training, strategic courses, youth engagement programmes, and PRN tours at the division and constituency levels.”
He added, “If we contest 25 seats, we hope to win all 25. If we contest 30, then we aim to win all 30. That’s what matters—not the quantity, but the quality of the campaign and its outcome.”
Ahmad, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of Johor UMNO, further revealed that several divisions in Johor have been assigned as ‘adoptive parents’ to assist selected constituencies in Sabah during the campaign. - July 6, 2025
