SABAH is heading to the polls for its following Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s announcement on Tuesday of the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.
The long-anticipated move was made official during a gathering of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) elected representatives at the Banquet Hall on Level 3 of Menara Kinabalu, effectively triggering the 60-day countdown for the Election Commission to set polling dates.
“This decision was not taken lightly, but after much deliberation with my colleagues in the Cabinet and our coalition partners, we believe it is time to return the mandate to the people,” said Hajiji, who also leads Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat).
He added: “The people of Sabah deserve a stable and united government. We are confident that they will see through the noise and support continuity and progress.”
The announcement formalises weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes negotiations, which had intensified amid a recent split within the GRS coalition. Former allies STAR and SAPP are now set to contest under their own party banners, a move expected to recalibrate the electoral battleground.
Strategists from all parties are now in overdrive as they finalise seat allocations and candidate slates. For GRS, the campaign will test the resilience of its pact with Pakatan Harapan (PH), which is still negotiating seat distribution with an eye on preventing three-cornered fights.
Opposition party Warisan has meanwhile been gaining ground with its “Selamatkan Sabah” messaging, aiming to capitalise on growing calls for stronger state rights and autonomy in the face of what it frames as federal overreach.
With the assembly now dissolved, Sabah’s political landscape enters a critical phase, one shaped as much by party realignments as by a growing public discourse over local empowerment, governance stability and the future of the GRS-PH alliance.
Also present at the announcement were key leaders of GRS component parties and senior state officials, signalling a united front as campaigning begins in earnest. - October 6, 2025
