KUALA LUMPUR – As the 17th Sabah State Election progresses, unofficial reports from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) sources indicate a strong showing for the coalition, with at least eight seats secured.
Among the successful candidates is Hazem Mubarak Musa, the son of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, who triumphed in the Sungai Manila seat, according to local media.
Other notable victories include Sabah’s caretaker Chief Minister and GRS Chairman, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who retained his seat in Sulaman. Tan Sri Pandikar Amin, president of Usno, also emerged victorious in Pintasan, along with Datuk Mohammad Mohamarin in Banggi and Datuk Ariffin Arif in Membakut.
Meanwhile, PBS president Datuk Joachim Gunsalam won in Kundasang, and Datuk Rubin Balang secured Kemabong, while Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan triumphed in Apas. Notably, apart from Hazem and Pandikar, all other winners are incumbents.
In a closely watched race, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin of Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah managed to retain his seat in DUN Lamag, marking a significant victory for BN as the polling centres closed.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has begun the crucial process of opening postal ballots for the state election, with the formal counting set to take place following the receipt deadline at 5pm.
This step, broadcast live via the EC’s official Facebook page, forms part of the postal vote management process, which includes the issuance, receipt, opening, and counting of ballots.
All 882 polling centres across Sabah officially closed at 5.30pm today.
According to the Election Academy, 22,880 postal vote applications were approved, covering a variety of categories, including election officials, security personnel, media workers, and overseas voters.
The live feed showed the opening of postal ballots at Dewan Jati, located in the Sabah Department of Agriculture, where two key state assembly seats—N53 Sekong and N54 Karamunting—were being processed. Sekong received 286 postal ballots, with the majority falling under category 1A (265 votes), while Karamunting received 696 postal votes, mostly in category 1A (685 votes).
As the election day unfolds, Sabahans are casting their votes to determine the future leadership of the state. With 596 candidates vying for 73 seats, the Election Commission has projected a voter turnout of over 60 percent from the 1.76 million eligible voters.
In Pintasan, GRS’ Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia has secured another victory, further solidifying the coalition’s position as results continue to unfold across the state. – November 29, 2025