KOTA KINABALU, Nov 15 — The Sepanggar parliamentary constituency is set to see crowded contests for its three state seats of Inanam, Karambunai, and Darau.
At the Dewan Maksak nomination centre near Likas, the candidacies were confirmed by the returning officer Anidah Hartini Ag Said, who said no nomination forms were rejected during the process.
In Inanam, incumbent Datuk Peto Galim of Pakatan Harapan (PH) — 59, a former engineer and caretaker State Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries, who won the seat in the 2020 state election with a 5,638-vote majority — will be defending it against 12 other contenders.
Among his opponents is the constituency’s former assemblyman Datuk Kenny Chua Teck Ho of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku Sabah (STARSabah), who also contested in the previous election.
The other competitors include Datuk Dr Roland Chia, who will be contesting as an Independent candidate after leaving Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat), and former Native Court district chief Edna Jessica Majimbun of Parti Warisan (Warisan).
Edna’s brother, Shone Eric Jr Majimbun, will also be contesting the seat as an Independent under the Black Wave movement. The siblings are children of former Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Majimbun.
Also vying for the seat are Datuk Wong Thien Fook of United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko); Lewis Wong of Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM); Joseph Linggian of Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri); Paul Anap of Parti Impian Sabah (PIS); Gordon Lai Han Yung of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK); Chia Yun Kong of Parti Perjuangan Rakyat (PR); Martin Sibit of Parti Gemilang Anak Sabah (GAS); and Sumali @ Marino Ahmad of Parti Rumpun Sabah (Rumpun Sabah) will also be vying for the seat.
Inanam is the largest of the three constituencies with 45,525 voters, featuring a strong concentration of younger and middle-aged voters, particularly those aged 21–39, who make up nearly half of the electorate.
Voters aged 40–59 also form a significant bloc, while senior voters above 60 constitute a smaller segment.
The gender distribution is almost perfectly balanced, with 50.22 per cent men and 49.78 per cent women, reflecting a diverse and demographically mixed urban constituency.
Considered as one of the most closely watched and strategically important seats in this election, its combination of densely populated townships, outlying villages, and varied socio-economic groups creates a competitive environment where small swings in voter sentiment can have a major impact.
Longstanding local issues such as traffic congestion, flooding, and uneven infrastructure development further heighten voter sensitivity to service delivery and governance.
While Peto’s 2020 majority gives him a relatively comfortable margin, the presence of multiple challengers, including strong local figures and Independents, could reduce that buffer, making this a potentially tighter contest than the numbers suggest.
In Karambunai, incumbent Datuk Yakubah Khan of Barisan Nasional (BN), 58, a former state minister of science, technology and innovation, who won the seat in the 2020 state election with a razor-thin majority of 16 votes — will be facing off against 10 other challengers.
The list includes Datuk Arshad Idris of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS); Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan of Perikatan Nasional (PN); Datuk Stephen Teo of STARSabah; Adis Jalie of PIS; Hates Abdul of Parti Damai Sabah (SPP); Matkri Kassim of Parti Kebangsaan Sabah (PKS); Mohd Yunus Ibrahim of PBK; Azman Fathil of GAS; and Raynold Saikam Salinggou of PR.
Ahmad Jais Otong of Warisan, who Yakubah defeated by a very small vote margin in the previous election, is also in the fray for this seat, aiming to secure victory this time around.
Karambunai has 39,247 voters and is characterised by a notably youthful population, with the 21–29 group being the single largest age segment, followed closely by voters in their 30s.
Middle-aged groups remain sizeable, while the senior population above 60 is considerably smaller.
The constituency has a more pronounced gender imbalance than the others, with 52.10 per cent men compared to 47.90 per cent women, giving it the highest male percentage among the three seats.
The presence of multiple candidates increases the likelihood of vote splitting and Yakubah’s very slim winning margin from 2020 highlights just how volatile this race could be.
Local concerns such as land development, access to clean water, and transportation infrastructure remain central to voters, making the seat strategically significant for both state and coalition-level outcomes.
In Darau, incumbent Azhar Matussin of Warisan, 55, a former state assistant minister of trade and industry, who won the seat in the 2020 state election with a 3,124-vote majority, will be competing in a six-cornered fight.
He will be going against Datuk Mohamed Razali Mohamed Razi of GRS; Joe Arfan of BN; Nabila Norsahar of PN; Meriah Osman of PIS; Nordin Thani of KDM.
The constituency has 33,016 voters, with its largest age groups being 21–39, indicating a predominantly young and economically active population.
The number of voters decreases steadily from the 40s age bracket onwards, and seniors form a relatively small portion of the constituency.
With its 51.07 per cent male voters compared to 48.93 per cent women, it has a mildly male-dominated demographic profile.
Darau is seen as a strategically important constituency comprising suburban settlements and kampung communities.
Voter priorities include infrastructure improvements, flood mitigation, and local economic opportunities, making the seat a closely watched contest within the Sepanggar parliamentary area.
Although Azhar’s slightly over 3,000 vote cushion gives him an edge, the presence of multiple challengers and the shifting alliances in the state suggest that even a mid-sized swing in voter sentiment could tighten the race considerably. — The Borneo Post
