KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s highly fluid political landscape means that no one, including political veterans, is spared from the risk of being rejected by voters.
This was evident when several seasoned politicians were defeated in the constituencies they contested in the 17th Sabah State Election on Saturday (Nov 29).
Among those who suffered such a setback was United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who contested under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner in Pintasan in an 11-cornered fight.
Despite being a native of Kota Belud and a long-time political figure, these factors did not provide an advantage to the former Dewan Rakyat Speaker, who attempted for the second time to win the same seat after his initial bid in the 16th state election.
Pandikar, 70, failed to wrest the Pintasan seat from the same opponent, Datuk Fairuz Rendan, who contested as an Independent this time and won with a majority of 1,070 votes.
The Pintasan seat was won by Fairuz in the previous state election, who then ran under a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket.
In Usukan, also in Kota Belud, former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak of Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to defend the seat after losing to Warisan’s Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis@Fakharudy, who secured a slim majority of 442 votes.
Meanwhile, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) president Tan Sri Anifah Aman was defeated once again in his second attempt to capture the Bongawan seat under the Kimanis parliamentary constituency.
Anifah, 73, a former Foreign Minister, lost to the same opponent he faced in the 16th state election, Dr Daud Yusof of Warisan, in a nine-cornered contest this time.
A total of 73 seats were contested in the polls.
GRS won 29 of the 73 seats, Warisan (25), BN (6), Independents (5), Upko (3), and Sabah STAR (2), while PN, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) won one seat each. – Bernama
