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Larger than life personalities direct Sabah politics. In state quick polls, these are some of the characters who will dominate the political theater.
Sabah Heritage Party Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal
Shafie leads the Warisan Plus coalition that ruled Sabah in May 2018 when six assemblymen from Barisan Nasional jumped in to support him as Sabah’s chief minister.
The Bajau leader has the love of the East Coast Bajau / Suluk and China. But he needs to convince the KDMR (Kadazan, Dusun, Murut and Rungus) and other ethnic groups like the Malay from Brunei that he is not a lover of the PTI (pendatang tanpa izin or illegal immigrant).
Former Sabah Prime Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman
Are you contesting Sabah’s longest-serving prime minister? The former prime minister has hinted on Facebook that he will return to Sungai Manila, a constituency partially sculpted in his Sungai Sibuga state seat.
Umno does not feature Musa, who was its prime minister from 2003 to 2018. There is talk that if you don’t get a seat from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, don’t be surprised if it gets placed under the ticket of a Sabah-based party. .
Competed or not, Musa, with his vast resources and political acumen, will play an influential role in state polls.
Chief of Sabah Umno Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin
The Kinabatangan MP is the “Duterte” of Sabah politics. He is aiming to be a prime minister without protocol. He personifies Sabah Umno’s motto of work tatap work (plow regardless of obstacles).
Head of Sabah Bersatu, Datuk Hajiji Noor
He’s the “Mr. Good Boy” of Sabah politics. For those who are tired of the toxic rivalry between Shafie and Musa, Hajiji is a non-toxic option for the prime minister.
Sabah Love Party President Datuk Anifah Aman
If there is a hung Sabah assembly like the one that happened in GE14 and PCS wins two or three seats, Anifah would be the kingmaker.
His admirers hope Anifah can bring his experience as foreign minister to bear on controversial diplomatic issues centered on Sabah, such as the South China Sea dispute and Sabah’s claim to the Philippines.
Sabah STAR President Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan
The maverick politician is so predictable for making unpredictable moves. If leader Dusun took a step back by using the PBS symbol instead of STAR, he could come closer to his dream of becoming prime minister just like his older brother, PBS’s Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
The unpredictable move will galvanize the KDMR. They have been longing for the political unity between the communities that fractured when PBS when Pairin lost power in 1994.
Honorary President for Life of the Liberal Democratic Party Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat
Sabah’s prime minister from 2001 to 2003 claims he returned to politics to solve Sabah’s perennial PTI problem. He also wants to stop the Papar dam, which Shafie revived despite Warisan’s GE14 promise to stop it if his party came to power.
Chong’s supporters believe that he is Sabah’s savior. But he and others on this list could end up as false prophets.
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