Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), which quit the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah this week, risks being wiped out at the upcoming state election should it choose to contest in Chinese-majority constituencies, an analyst said.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania cited the party’s previous electoral outing to back his claim.
In the 2020 state election, the party contested two Chinese-majority seats – Luyang and Tanjung Papat – and lost both overwhelmingly to DAP.
“SAPP will lose if they stand in Chinese-majority areas,” Chin told FMT, pointing out that the party had little chance of making inroads in DAP strongholds.
He said SAPP’s survival now hinges on where it decides to stand and its alliances with other parties.
Chin said even with Yong Teck Lee, whom he described as a “recognisable brand”, remaining at the helm of SAPP, there was no guarantee the party, which has traditionally contested in Chinese-majority seats, could secure a win.
“Everybody knows Yong Teck Lee,” he said, alluding to Yong’s tenure as Sabah chief minister.
“He will be relevant whether or not he wins a seat, but will he run?”
SAPP and STAR to join forces?
Chin said he expects SAPP to join forces with Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), which also quit GRS on Wednesday night.
He noted that STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan is working on setting up a coalition of local parties ahead of the state polls.
“We don’t know the final shape of that coalition, but it is expected to bring together local Sabah parties rather than those from Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Oh Ei Sun of the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia said with SAPP no longer part of GRS, it could contest as many seats as it desires, a factor which was likely taken into account in its decision to quit the coalition.
If the party had remained in GRS, he said, it would not only have to settle for contesting in a few seats, but in constituencies where the odds stacked up against them.
Oh said Pakatan Harapan, which has formed an electoral pact with GRS, is likely to contest in more winnable seats, including those that were eyed by SAPP as well.
“So, perhaps, SAPP thinks that this is a better choice, politically,” he said.
However, he said a key issue is whether Yong still sees himself as being politically relevant, adding that he may also groom a younger generation of party leaders.
