KOTA KINABALU: While the Election Commission (EC) has yet to release most of the official results, unofficial results show that the biggest losers in the Sabah state election involved several state ministers.
Another big name to fall was former chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, who lost in his traditional family seat of Usukan to Warisan’s Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis.
The influential Bahanda family was wiped out when all three siblings lost their northern Sabah hold of native Rungus heartland.
Wetrom Bahanda lost in his bid to topple Parti Bersatu Sabah secretary-general Datuk Julita Majungki in Matunggong, while his brother Datuk Verdon Bahanda lost in Tanjong Kapor to Warisan.
Their sister Datuk Redonah Bahanda lost in Bandau to Independent Datuk Maijol Mahap.
Others who lost are state rural development minister Ellron Angin. The two-term Sook assemblyman failed to retain his seat against Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
This means that PBRS will have a representation in the Sabah state assembly for the first time since 2020.
Other losers were Parti KDM acting president Priscella Peter, who, in her electoral debut, failed to defend the Melalap state seat held by her father Datuk Peter Anthony since 2018.
As a party, DAP was the biggest loser, getting wiped out in Sabah.
Its state industrial development and entrepreneur minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin, and Sabah DAP’s vice-chairman Jannie Lasimbang all lost.
DAP failed to retain Luyang, of which Phoong was its two-term incumbent, after its fresh-faced Chan Loong Wei only garnered 4,944 votes, against Warisan’s Samuel Wong Tshun Chuen who got 11,234 votes.
The biggest winners, according to unofficial results, were the five Independents at Kukusan, Tulid, Bandau, Pintasan and Petagas.
Rina Jainal won in Kukusan, Jordan Ellronn in Tulid, Datuk Maijol Mahap in Bandau, Datuk Fairuz Renddan in Pintasan and Datuk Ahmad Shah won in Petagas.
As party, the biggest winner must be PAS, which managed to get its first ever seat in the Borneo states, by taking the Karambunai seat through Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan.
The situation, however, still remains fluid as official results are still trickling in.
