Sabah voters traverse tough terrain, long distances to cast vote in pivotal state election

KOTA KINABALU: Against a backdrop of wet and gloomy weather, Sabahans went out in droves to cast their ballot to elect their next state legislative assembly on Saturday (Nov 29). 

The election, which analysts have previously said was too close to call, saw political parties - both local and peninsula-based ones - vying for the vote from over 1.7 million Sabahans. 

From the deep interiors to the outlying islands and urban centres of the Borneo state, voting began at 7.30am sharp across 882 polling centres, local news agency Bernama reported. 

Some polling centres will close in stages from noon, with all of the centres scheduled to cease operations by 5.30pm. 

The Election Commission of Malaysia has advised Sabahans to cast their votes early to avoid delays due to unforeseen weather conditions.

Preliminary voting results are expected to trickle from 10pm and the commission had earlier said that complete results may only be out by midnight as wet weather may delay the vote count. 

A bumper crop of 596 candidates are vying for 73 seats in the state legislative assembly. All constituencies will play host to multi-cornered fights, with four-horse races being the minimum and one constituency - Tulid, an interior seat in Keningau - seeing a whopping 14-way battle.

Issues that have dominated the campaign trail include longstanding municipal woes such as inadequate water and electricity supply, poor road infrastructure and a growing “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment as local parties argue they, instead of peninsula-based parties, can more firmly push the federal government for the state’s full autonomous rights.

At Kaiduan Primary School in Papar, voters steadily streamed in to cast their ballots for the Limbahau constituency, a rural interior seat.

But getting to the school from state capital Kota Kinabalu was by no means a straightforward journey.

First there was a 60-minute drive, half of it along winding, narrow roads filled with potholes. Then voters had to traverse a rickety suspension bridge over a rushing stream.

The intermittently heavy rain complicated matters, but these challenges did not deter first-time voter Jeffson Pisol, 20.

“Voting is a mandatory responsibility,” he told CNA after stepping out of the polling room, his index finger dipped in blue ink.

Limbahau is contested by nine candidates, including those from incumbent coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), main rival Warisan as well as local parties United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia (KDM).

Jeffson said his choice was easy. “I hope to see change,” the logistics worker said. “I hope Sabah sees more development and youths get more job opportunities.”

On the other hand, Emelda Jaccinta Justin, 29, wanted to see continuity with the incumbent government.

“It’s clear which party has helped us the most,” the freelance make-up artist told CNA. “But I hope the roads around here and the suspension bridge could be upgraded.”

The area around the rural school reflected a communal atmosphere, with voters greeting each other while makeshift stalls sold snacks and local produce.

Both Jeffson and Emelda said they did not mind if local parties had to combine with peninsula-based coalitions to form the next state government.

“As long as they put Sabah’s rights first,” Emelda added.

VOTERS UPBEAT AS RAIN BEGINS TO EASE 

Elsewhere, the rainy weather also did little to dampen voters’ determination as they endured a 10-minute, bumpy boat ride from Kota Kinabalu to Gaya Island to cast their ballots at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Gaya.

Many of the voters were island locals who now live in the state capital. Boats streamed in despite the downpour, their passengers clad in raincoats and umbrellas.

When CNA arrived 20 minutes before the polling station opened, at least 30 people were already waiting in line.

As the rain eased, more voters began arriving, crowding the jetty. Many said the voting process was smooth, taking no more than 10 minutes.

Among the island residents looking forward to polling day is 42-year-old fisherman Asli, who would set up a drinks stall outside the polling station whenever elections or village events bring islanders home from the city.

“We set up the stall at 5am today. I’ll sell some drinks before going to vote in the afternoon,” he said. “Business has been good, hopefully the rain stops.”

First-time voters whom CNA spoke to shared their excitement about choosing their next assemblyman and state government, expressing hopes that long-standing water and electricity issues would finally be addressed.

“I don’t mind whoever becomes my YB (assemblyman). I just hope the party I vote for will save Sabah and the villagers here on Gaya Island,” 20-year-old Muhd Shamil Jamili told CNA.

“I hope for change.”

Gaya Island falls under the Tanjung Aru constituency, where Warisan’s Junz Wong is defending his seat in a nine-cornered contest. One of his challengers is Pakatan Harapan candidate Chan Foong Hin, the federal Member of Parliament for Kota Kinabalu.

Living conditions on the island vary, from sturdy wooden stilt houses to cramped, squalid huts. Narrow walkways link the tightly packed homes that sit above shallow coastal waters.

Beyond municipal concerns, Wong told CNA that islanders also continue to face issues of marginalisation and discrimination.

Gaya Island is a key vote base in the Tanjung Aru state constituency, and according to Malay Mail, it contains the largest polling district, with more than 4,700 registered voters across the constituency’s seven districts.

About 63 per cent of voters here are native Sabahans from Bajau Samah, Bajau Laut, Bajau Ubian and Bajau Suluk communities while another 35 per cent are classified as “others”, according to Malay Mail.

In the state capital, voting procedures were also running smoothly at Kota Kinabalu High School - part of the Luyang constituency - when CNA arrived at around 11.30am.

Young voters in the urban, Chinese-majority constituency told CNA that they hope for local parties to make headway in the election. 

“I hope the agreement for the federal government to return the 40 per cent (revenue share) can finally be fulfilled. That’s why I think it is better for our state government to be formed by our own local parties,” said 21-year-old Jaden Chan. 

Luyang is seeing a five-cornered race, with Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) new candidate, 25-year-old Chan Loong Wei facing Warisan’s Samuel Wong.

The seat was held by DAP’s Phoong Jin Zhe, who is shifting to Likas constituency this election to make way for Chan.