PETALING JAYA: Warisan faces a tough road ahead to further expand its footing despite mounting an admirable election challenge in Sabah and making major headway in urban areas, analysts say.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania said Warisan had consistently been among the bigger blocs in the state assembly since first contesting in the 2018 general election.

On Saturday, the party won 25 seats, the second-highest number of seats in the state assembly, with its numbers boosted by Chinese voters swinging to the party from DAP and PKR.

However, Chin said many Chinese voters that abandoned DAP shifted to Warisan because they hoped the party would be able form the state government.

He also said Warisan had underperformed in making its haul of 25 seats on Saturday, as it was only two more than the 23 won in 2020.

He said Warisan now faces a steeper hill to climb as it has been out of the Sabah government for years and lacks access to state resources. “Unless they can double down or find a way to stay in government, it will be a struggle for the next few years,” he told FMT.

Warisan finished four seats behind Gabungan Rakyat Sabah as the polls ended in a hung state assembly.

The party failed to make much headway in Kadazandusun Murut-majority seats, with parties like Parti Bersatu Sabah holding strong and Upko even expanding its number of constituencies.

It lost several key battlegrounds like Kunak, Petagas, Banggi and Moyog.

Nonetheless, Warisan made huge inroads in urban, Chinese-majority and mixed seats, with the party playing a major role in booting DAP out of the state assembly by wresting Luyang, Likas, Sri Tanjong, Tanjong Papat, Elopura and Kapayan.

It also retained Tanjung Aru comfortably and took Api-Api and Inanam, two PKR strongholds.

But analyst Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said the Chinese swing in support may not last as it was likely more due to disgruntlement with PH rather than loyalty to Warisan.

Chinese support in the next federal elections was unlikely to follow the same trend, as what was at stake was different. “They will support PH at the parliamentary level,” he said.

Prior to the state polls, think tank Ilham Centre warned of a swing in Chinese support in urban areas, citing a greater exposure to social media and sentiments pushing against the influence of West Malaysia-based parties.

It said there was an observable mood of “protest” and disappointment on PH’s campaign trail in urban areas, with the community’s gripes largely centred on issues pertaining to the economy, governance and Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

This post has been edited by ZeroSOFInfinity: Dec 1 2025, 09:11 AM

I wonder if these armchair expert said the same to type C voters when they first voting against BN back on 2008. Then BN wad brought down after 10 years. Same can happen to Madanon in much faster pace because unlike BN, many type M already not happy with PH to begin with.

It is not Chinese votes who swing, it is the "URBAN VOTERS" who swing out to Warisan

If u check the constituency, the most chinese constituency in Likas only has 60% chinese votes, the rest is about 30-50% chinese votes. With the vote swing u think other ethnic didn't swing meh

Not state gov of the day, can do what?? No resources no power adoi

Luyang got close to 80% Chinese with excellent track record of Ginger servicing the area. It’s more of anti WM party and Sabah for Sabahan sentiment.

Shame some folks treat them as gospel in 2008

Sabah for Sabahan

40% state resources return to Sabah

35% east Malaysian in Parliament representation

Return financial and administrative autonomy power based on MA63

No more No less

mana ada 80%, here only show 50%

https://undi.info/seat/SB.N.LUYANG

Service good tapi integrity 0, 2020-2022 jadi opposition, once dapat Federal power Ginger appointed as Sabah minister. DAP go accept that offer instead of becoming opposition, they reap what they sow.



This post has been edited by yhtan: Dec 1 2025, 10:16 AM

That's for 2020. And then you noticed between 2018 to 2020, it went from 76% Chinese to suddenly 50% Chinese (but 41% Bumi-Nons). So either there is a HUGE migration of Chinese away from Luyang, or a certain percentage went and "declare" themselves as bumi-nons.

I guess they reclassified some sino to non muslim Bumi. Abit misleading hence you see the drop from 76% to 50% as anyone living at that area can easily attest it’s more than 50% Chinese area.

i always see my friend shared the Luyang assemblyman doing work. From the looks of it, he really service the community.
was a bit of a shocker to me too.

not that i'm very familiar with sabah political landscape. too many parties, too many jumping around, too many switches of alleagiance.

not state gov but they account very near half of the seat
so they have voicing power

and why people would vote warisan....it's because the last time there is repair being done to the road is back when warisan is gov(very short period)

2020 got delineation
Some part went to new seat Tanjung Keramat

Thats why chinese population drop

warisan is pembangkang
so how?

Political parties need to stop treating voters like their piggy bank, and a recent xample was dap riding on Chinese support, thinking its fully in their hands.

They keep saying "i mean wat choice do they have but vote us? Takkanlah PN? Its either us or talibans"