There are 73 seats at stake and political dramas, including pullouts from coalitions, withdrawal from candidacy crossovers, grassroots anger over candidates and issues over the court decision which preceded the election campaign.
The six-party coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji will be contesting 55 seats, while its four-party Pakatan Harapan partner will contest 18 seats.
Barisan Nasional, which has a separate seat sharing deal with Pakatan, will contest 45 seats.
Both Barisan, led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, and GRS will be up against each other in at least 40 seats, but the two coalitions will not contest against Pakatan candidates.
Opposition Warisan, led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, has announced names for all 73 seats, which would make it the biggest single party to contest in the election if all their candidates are accepted.
Another opposition, Perikatan Nasional led by Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, will contest 41 seats while Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, has announced that it is contesting 29 seats.
Another emerging native-based party, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat’s is eyeing 40 seats, followed by Parti Anak Negeri (25) and Sabah Progressive Party (six).
Another group dubbing themselves the Black Wave, led by Kudat MP Datuk Verdon Bahanda, will be filing nominations as independents for 17 seats with observers expecting more “walk-ins”, especially among those who were dropped from their party.
Little-known Michel Alok, who heads Parti Impian Sabah, has announced that this party will contest 73 seats, though many are sceptical that all the candidates named would turn up at the nomination centres.
A minimum of five-cornered fights could be the order of the day in at least half of the 73 seats; in some areas, it could see even a dozen or more candidates, observed Sabah UiTM senior lecturer Tony Paridi Bagang.
Urban mixed seats like Inanam, Moyog and Putatan as well as rural seats like Tulid, Liawan and Bengkoka have always seen keen contests with large numbers of candidates.
“This perception of realistic winnability encourages more individuals and small parties to contest,” Bagang said.
He also said the situation gives candidates with limited support a better chance of winning through a plurality, not a majority.
“Sabah voters are known for late decision-making, personality-based choices and shifting loyalties. With a large bloc of fence-sitters, no party can claim firm dominance in many seats.
“This unpredictability gives candidates confidence that upsets are possible, prompting more of them to jump into the race hoping to capture undecided voters.”
He added that some Sabah leaders just want to “test their leadership, popularity and capability.
“If they lose, it is their training ground,” he said.
