BARISAN NASIONAL WILL WORK “WITH ANY PARTY” TO FORM SABAH GOVERNMENT
As for Barisan Nasional, party leaders showed up on Friday in Kota Kinabalu to rally support for its 45 candidates.
At a community event in support of BN’s candidate for the Tanjong Keramat constituency, BN chairman and Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi highlighted the need to form a stable government capable of continuing key infrastructure projects.
“I know many analysts have said that there is no dominant party that will form the next government, but I hope the blue wave across Sabah will give its support to Barisan Nasional,” he said at the Sentuhan Kasih Desa event in Tanjong Keramat, referring to BN’s party colour.
Asked by CNA later whether BN would align with Warisan or GRS if it cannot secure a simple majority, Zahid said: “We will work with any party to form the government.”
The Tanjong Keramat seat is held by Shahelmey Yahaya, who previously won under the BN banner before defecting to GRS.
BN’s candidate for the constituency, Jeffery Nor Mohamed, faces an 11-cornered fight that includes contenders from Warisan and PN.
On the 80 per cent fresh faces BN is fielding in the election, Zahid said: “We are not sidelining the old guard, but we believe these new faces can help reshape Sabah’s political landscape.”
For this election, BN has a pact with PH which, in turn, has a separate pact with GRS.
Sabah’s election is the first in a series of noteworthy state polls in the lead up to Malaysia’s 16th General Election due by February 2028, with the states of Melaka, Johor and Sarawak up next.
The results could shape the dynamics between Putrajaya and the Borneo state, amid growing calls for Sabah-based parties to be dominant in governing the state and for the Anwar government to return 40 per cent of federal revenue drawn from the state.
Political leaders and analysts previously told CNA that Anwar is hoping for the Sabah election to produce a Putrajaya-friendly state government that can strike a reasonable agreement on the state’s 40 per cent special grant entitlement.
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