{"id":3939,"date":"2025-12-01T15:34:59","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T07:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/?p=3939"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:40:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T07:40:04","slug":"sabah-election-verdict-promotes-federalism-not-rebellion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/sabah-election-verdict-promotes-federalism-not-rebellion\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabah election verdict promotes federalism, not rebellion"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Professor Dr. Phar Kim Beng, Professor of ASEAN Studies at IINTAS-IIUM and\u00a0<\/em>Expert Committee Member of CROSS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sabah has delivered the first major political lesson of 2025.<\/p>\n

In spite of the skepticism of analysts and distant commentators, Sabahans overwhelmingly re-elected Hajiji Noor and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) with confidence and clarity.<\/p>\n

This was not a hesitant verdict or a reluctant compromise. It was a bold insistence that Sabah deserves a leadership rooted in its own soil \u2014 a leadership that understands the rhythms of local life while working constructively with Putrajaya.<\/p>\n

The results make one simple truth clear: Sabah is not rejecting Malaysia. Sabah is reinforcing how Malaysia should work.<\/p>\n

Hajiji\u2019s swift and undisputed return as chief minister signalled a preference for continuity, delivery, and dignity.<\/p>\n

Sabahans do not want political theatrics imported from the peninsula. They want development: better water systems, reliable roads, economic uplift, and the fulfilment of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).<\/p>\n

GRS, in the eyes of Sabah voters, has shown a practical pathway to those goals \u2014 not through confrontation with the federal government, but through a partnership grounded in mutual respect.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the strong performance of Warisan reflects Sabah\u2019s political maturity. Voters have no interest in giving any single party a blank cheque. A credible opposition ensures accountability, forces the government to remain responsive, and keeps democratic equilibrium intact. Sabahans did not vote for dominance; they voted for balanced governance.<\/p>\n

However, the total defeat of DAP in all eight seats it contested was impossible to ignore. It was not a repudiation of multicultural ideals, because Sabahans live those ideals every day without fanfare or fear.<\/p>\n

The issue was misreading the electorate. DAP struggled to recognise that Sabahan political consciousness has evolved into something far more advanced than Peninsular narratives that often pivot on ethnic anxieties. Sabah wants federalism \u2014 but one implemented fairly, not merely spoken about.<\/p>\n

Similarly, PKR\u2019s result \u2014 winning only one of the many seats contested \u2014 sends an unmistakable message against transactional politics. Sabahans reject campaigns that appear designed solely for election season, without deeper community roots or lasting presence.<\/p>\n

They want leaders who walk the ground year-round, not just during campaign windows. Long-term engagement, authentic representation, and context-grounded policymaking matter more than partisan branding or federal prestige.<\/p>\n

These results should not be interpreted as a personal setback for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Sabahans are not questioning his legitimacy as the head of government.<\/p>\n

What they are questioning is any attempt \u2014 by any party \u2014 to overlook the core constitutional reality: Sabah is a co-equal partner in Malaysia\u2019s founding compact. A strong Malaysian federation does not originate from Kuala Lumpur alone. It must be anchored on the rights, voices, and development of every state.<\/p>\n

Sarawak\u2019s trajectory reinforces this shifting federal balance. Under Premier Abang Johari Openg, Sarawak has demonstrated rising confidence in asserting its rights over energy resources, education policies, and strategic priorities.<\/p>\n

Together, the Borneo states are charting a new federalism that reminds Malaysia of MA63\u2019s original meaning: shared sovereignty, shared prosperity, and shared respect.<\/p>\n

And Malaysia should welcome this \u2014 not resist it. A federation becomes stronger when its outermost pillars stand firm, not when the centre shoulders all burden and authority. Empowering Sabah and Sarawak does not weaken national unity; it deepens it.<\/p>\n

The significance of Sabah\u2019s message extends beyond Malaysia\u2019s borders. Across Asean, many member states struggle with distant provinces that feel ignored or misunderstood.<\/p>\n

Indonesia grapples with trust issues in Aceh and Papua. The Philippines still works to stabilise Bangsamoro. Thailand faces long-standing grievances in its deep south. Myanmar collapsed into civil war because its ethnic states were denied dignity and recognition.<\/p>\n

Sabah has just shown a different way forward.<\/p>\n

Respecting peripheral strength reinforces central legitimacy.<\/p>\n

A thriving Borneo is not a threat to Putrajaya \u2014 it is a stabiliser for Malaysia\u2019s future. Similarly, Asean governments could learn that unity is not enforced; it is earned. It grows where representation is fair, identity is protected, and autonomy is respected.<\/p>\n

Sabah\u2019s election is a living reminder that dignity in diversity is not a risk \u2014 it is a resource. Political power must flow both ways. Only then will distant territories feel ownership of the nation\u2019s destiny, and only then will the federation command loyalty without coercion.<\/p>\n

The outcome in Sabah is not a warning. It is an invitation.<\/p>\n

If Putrajaya wishes to strengthen Malaysia, it must fully honour MA63, end transactional politics, and elevate Borneo leadership into national decision-making \u2014 not as symbolic tokens, but as powerful partners.<\/p>\n

If Asean wishes to build deeper regional stability, it must embrace governance that empowers rather than suppresses local identity.<\/p>\n

Sabah has spoken, with maturity, clarity, and strategic foresight. Malaysia \u2014 and Asean \u2014 should listen, and respond in kind.<\/p>\n

Indeed, having campaigned vigorously in Sabah, while still the Group Chair of Asean, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has, ironically, shown Asean how to learn from Sabah even if his own party did not do well.<\/p>\n

The key is that Anwar embraced the results in Sabah. Indeed, he immediately endeavored to work with the GRS coalition \u2014 invariably, under the framework of a Pakatan friendly dynamic.<\/p>\n

This is a policy amplified by Anwar\u2019s willingness to respect Sabahans\u2019 request for 40% of federal revenue earned in Sabah since 1963. The end of 2025 did not serve as a black eye for Anwar.<\/p>\n

The article was published in Free Malaysia Today on 1 December 2025<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Professor Dr. Phar Kim Beng, Professor of ASEAN Stud […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":3940,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category--zh-hans"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3939"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3942,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3939\/revisions\/3942"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossthinktank.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}