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73 of 79 seats in the Legislative Assembly 37 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Electoral Map of Sabah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2025 Sabah state election, formally the 17th Sabah general election, will elect the 17th Sabah State Legislative Assembly. It must be held by 9 December 2025 at the latest, persuant to clause 21(4) of the Constitution of Sabah. [1] [2] [3] This date is dependent on when the 16th Legislative Assembly first sat. All 73 seats will be up for contests, presuming no constituencies are added or removed in a redistribution.
Traditionally, state elections are held simultaneously with the parliamentary election but each state can decide when to hold its election. This is because state assemblies are dissolved by their respective ruler or governor on the advice of the chief minister of the state.
With the formation of the unity government, every single party in Sabah is a part of that government. However at the state level, there are discrepancies whereby Warisan and Barisan Nasional are not a part of the coalition. Yet the present practice for the unity government would be that of a seat negotiation, or an unsigned electoral pact where no two parties would send candidates, only a single candidate would be sent from the unity government. It remains to be seen how at the state level such cooperation would play out.
Elections in Malaysia are conducted at the federal and state levels. Federal elections elect members of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state elections in each of the 13 states elect members of their respective state legislative assembly. As Malaysia follows the Westminster system of government, the head of government (Prime Minister at the federal level and the Menteri Besar/Chief Ministers/Premier at the state level) is the person who commands the confidence of the majority of members in the respective legislature – this is normally the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in the legislature.
The Legislative Assembly consists of 73 members, known as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), that are elected for five-year terms. Each MLA is elected from a single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post voting system; each constituency contains approximately an equal number of voters. If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the government, with its leader becoming the Chief Minister. In the event of a hung parliament, where no single party obtains the majority of seats, the government may still form through a coalition or a confidence and supply agreement with other parties. In practice, coalitions and alliances in Malaysia, and by extension, in Sabah, generally persist between elections, and member parties do not normally contest for the same seats.
The voting age is currently 18. [4] [5] [6] [7] Elections are conducted by the Election Commission of Malaysia, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Department. Malaysia practices automatic voter registration but does not practice compulsory voting.
On 27 March 2024, State Chairman of Barisan Nasional (BN) and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) of Sabah Bung Moktar Radin dismissed the possibility of Sabah BN to work with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition led by Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.
Hajiji meanwhile, said that GRS is open to collaboration from other parties, but insists that the preference is working together with Pakatan Harapan (PH), who joined the Sabah government after BN withdrawal during the 2023 Sabah political crisis. [8]
Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional (PN) have announced its intention to contest all 73 state seats in its first foray into the state, the move which led to Sabah Progressive Party's (SAPP) exit from PN, as announced by party leader Yong Teck Lee in December 2024, as SAPP insists that only party which has origins in Sabah are allowed to contest the election. [9] SAPP will contest the election under GRS, the local coalition which it is a component in parallel with PN since 2020. This is the first time PN contesting the election under its own banner, although its component party BERSATU Sabah have contested and won seats before, under PH(PKR) and GRS in the 2018 and 2020 state elections respectively. PAS and Gerakan also have contested in Sabah before, with Gerakan having won seats under BN banner.
Social Democratic Harmony Party (KDM) also confirms its first participation as single party without coalition in the state election, targeting 43 seats. Announced by its president Peter Anthony on 15 December 2024, Anthony instead will not contest in the election as his court case appeal is still pending. [10]
No. | Parliamentary constituency | No. | State Constituency | Incumbent Member | Incumbent Coalition (Party) | Political coalitions and respective candidates and coalitions | |||||||||||
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GRS | WARISAN | BN | PH | KDM | Others | ||||||||||||
Candidate name | Party | Candidate name | Party | Candidate name | Party | Candidate name | Party | Candidate name | Party | Candidate name | Party | ||||||
P167 | Kudat | N01 | Banggi | Mohammad Mohamarin | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N02 | Bengkoka | Harun Durabi | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N03 | Pitas | Ruddy Awah | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
N04 | Tanjong Kapor | Ben Chong Chen Bin | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | Verdon Bahanda [11] | Independent | |||||||||||
P168 | Kota Marudu | N05 | Matunggong | Julita Majungki | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||
N06 | Bandau | Wetrom Bahanda | KDM | KDM | |||||||||||||
N07 | Tandek | Hendrus Anding | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||||
P169 | Kota Belud | N08 | Pintasan | Fairuz Renddan | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||
N09 | Tempasuk | Mohd Arsad Bistari | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
N10 | Usukan | Salleh Said Keruak | BN (UMNO) | Salleh Said Keruak [12] | BN (UMNO) | KDM | |||||||||||
N11 | Kadamaian | Ewon Benedick | PH (UPKO) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P170 | Tuaran | N12 | Sulaman | Hajiji Noor | GRS (GAGASAN) | ||||||||||||
N13 | Pantai Dalit | Jasnih Daya | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N14 | Tamparuli | Jahid Jahim | GRS (PBS) | Jahid Jahim | GRS (PBS) | KDM | |||||||||||
N15 | Kiulu | Joniston Bangkuai | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||||
P171 | Sepanggar | N16 | Karambunai | Yakub Khan | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||
N17 | Darau | Azhar Matussin | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
N18 | Inanam | Peto Galim | PH (PKR) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P172 | Kota Kinabalu | N19 | Likas | Tan Lee Fatt | PH (DAP) | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N20 | Api-Api | Christina Liew Chin Jin | PH (PKR) | ||||||||||||||
N21 | Luyang | Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe | PH (DAP) | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
P173 | Putatan | N22 | Tanjung Aru | Junz Wong | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N23 | Petagas | Awang Ahmad Sah Awang Sahari | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
N24 | Tanjung Keramat | Shahelmey Yahya | BN (UMNO) | Jeffrey Nor Mohamed [13] | BN (UMNO) | ||||||||||||
P174 | Penampang | N25 | Kapayan | Jannie Lasimbang | PH (DAP) | WARISAN | KDM | ||||||||||
N26 | Moyog | Darell Leiking | WARISAN | WARISAN | KDM | ||||||||||||
P175 | Papar | N27 | Limbahau | Juil Nuatim | GRS | WARISAN | KDM | ||||||||||
N28 | Kawang | Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
N29 | Pantai Manis | Mohd Tamin Zainal | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
P176 | Kimanis | N30 | Bongawan | Daud Yusof | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N31 | Membakut | Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif | GRS (GAGASAN) | ||||||||||||||
P177 | Beaufort | N32 | Klias | Isnin Aliasnih | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||
N33 | Kuala Penyu | Limus Jury | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P178 | Sipitang | N34 | Lumadan | Ruslan Muharam | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||
N35 | Sindumin | Yusof Yacob | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | KDM | ||||||||||||
P179 | Ranau | N36 | Kundasang | Joachim Gunsalam | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||
N37 | Karanaan | Masidi Manjun | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
N38 | Paginatan | Abidin Madingkir | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | KDM | ||||||||||||
P180 | Keningau | N39 | Tambunan | Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | KDM | ||||||||||
N40 | Bingkor | Robert Tawik | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N41 | Liawan | Annuar Ayub Aman | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | BN (UMNO) | KDM | |||||||||||
P181 | Tenom | N42 | Melalap | Peter Anthony | KDM | WARISAN | KDM | ||||||||||
N43 | Kemabong | Rubin Balang | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P182 | Pensiangan | N44 | Tulid | Flovia Ng | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | KDM | ||||||||||
N45 | Sook | Ellron Alfred Angin | GRS (STAR) | GRS (STAR) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N46 | Nabawan | Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P183 | Beluran | N47 | Telupid | Jonnybone Kurum | GRS (PBS) | GRS (PBS) | KDM | ||||||||||
N48 | Sugut | James Ratib | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N49 | Labuk | Samad Jambri | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||||
P184 | Libaran | N50 | Gum-Gum | Arunarsin Taib | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N51 | Sungai Manila | Mokran Ingkat | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
N52 | Sungai Sibuga | Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
P185 | Batu Sapi | N53 | Sekong | Alias Sani | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N54 | Karamunting | George Hiew Vun Zin | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
P186 | Sandakan | N55 | Elopura | Calvin Chong Ket Kiun | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N56 | Tanjong Papat | Frankie Poon Ming Fung | PH (DAP) | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
P187 | Kinabatangan | N57 | Kuamut | Masiung Banah | GRS (GAGASAN) | KDM | |||||||||||
N58 | Lamag | Bung Moktar Radin | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | KDM | ||||||||||||
N59 | Sukau | Jafry Ariffin | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
P188 | Lahad Datu | N60 | Tungku | Assaffal P. Alian | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N61 | Segama | Mohammadin Ketapi | BN (UMNO) | WARISAN | BN (UMNO) | ||||||||||||
N62 | Silam | Dumi Pg Masdal | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
N63 | Kunak | Norazlinah Arif | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | BN (UMNO) | ||||||||||||
P189 | Semporna | N64 | Sulabayan | Jaujan Sambakong | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N65 | Senallang | Shafie Apdal | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
N66 | Bugaya | Jamil Hamzah | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
P190 | Tawau | N67 | Balung | Hamid Awang | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||
N68 | Apas | Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan | GRS (GAGASAN) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
N69 | Sri Tanjong | Justin Wong Yung Bin | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
P191 | Kalabakan | N70 | Kukusan | Rina Jainal | GRS (PHRS) | WARISAN | |||||||||||
N71 | Tanjong Batu | Andi Muhammad Suryandy Bandy | BN (UMNO) | BN (UMNO) | |||||||||||||
N72 | Merotai | Sarifuddin Hata | WARISAN | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
N73 | Sebatik | Hassan A. Gani Pg. Amir | GRS (GAGASAN) | WARISAN | |||||||||||||
The National Front, officially Barisan Nasional (BN), is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1974 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties to succeed the Alliance Party. It is the third largest political coalition with 30 seats in the Dewan Rakyat after Pakatan Harapan (PH) with 82 seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) with 74 seats.
The Sabah Progressive Party is a multiracial political party based in Sabah, Malaysia. It was registered on 21 January 1994 by dissidents led by former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Yong Teck Lee from United Sabah Party. Formerly a component party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, SAPP officially withdrew from BN in September 2008 to become independent. As of 2010, SAPP has two representatives in the national legislature and two in the Sabah State Assembly. In 2016, the party together with Homeland Solidarity Party formed the United Sabah Alliance. It later joined the United Alliance together with STAR and PBS in 2018. The SAPP became the main component party of the national opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Sabah state ruling coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), the successor of United Alliance that was established in 2020 and registered in 2022. SAPP later withdrew from PN in 2024 after PN decided to contest in the 2025 Sabah state election, of which SAPP strongly disagreed with, based on its principle that the state election should only be contested by local coalitions and parties of Sabah, of which PN is not.
The Liberal Democratic Party or well known as Liberal Democratic Party of Sabah is a Sabahan Chinese-based local political party founded in the town of Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia by Hiew Min Kong in 1989. This party is a major component of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) since April 2023.
Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar bin Radin is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kinabatangan since November 1999 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lamag since September 2020. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister I, State Minister of Works of Sabah from September 2020 to January 2023, Chairman of FELCRA Berhad from 2013 to 2018 and Deputy Chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) from 2008 to 2018. He is a member and Division Chief of Kinabatangan of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He has also served as the State Chairman of BN and UMNO of Sabah since December 2018. He is a former member of United Sabah National Organisation (USNO).
Christina Liew is a Hong Kong-born Malaysian politician who has served as the State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah for the second term in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor since January 2023 and the first term in the Heritage Party (WARISAN) state administration under former Chief Minister Shafie Apdal from May 2018 to the collapse of the WARISAN administration in September 2020 as well as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Api-Api since May 2013. She also served as the Deputy Chief Minister III in the WARISAN administration under Shafie from May 2018 to September 2020, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tawau from May 2018 to November 2022. She is a member and Division Chief of Api-Api of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and formerly Barisan Alternatif (BA) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. She has served as Vice President of PH since September 2017. She has also served as Member of the Central Leadership Council (MPP) of PKR and Division Chairperson of Kota Kinabalu of PKR since July 2022. She also served as the State Chairperson of PH of Sabah from August 2017 to December 2024 and State Chairperson of PKR of Sabah from October 2016 to her removal from the position in August 2022. She was also the Vice President of PKR. She was a member of the United Sabah Party (PBS) and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), component parties of the Gagasan Rakyat (GR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions.
Datuk Zakaria bin Mohd Edris is a Malaysian politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Libaran from May 2018 to November 2022, State Assistant Minister of Housing and Local Government of Sabah in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Chief Minister Musa Aman from 2013 to 2018 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Gum-Gum from March 2004 to May 2018. He is a former member of Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), an official main component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) and a former component party of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition also a former component party of Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. He also a former member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition. He left UMNO to be an independent in 2018 and later joined BERSATU in 2019 until 2023. In 2023, he officially became the member of Sabah People's Ideas Party, the main component party of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) along with 7 other parties.
General elections were held in Malaysia on Saturday, 19 November 2022. The prospect of snap elections had been considered high due to the political crisis that had been ongoing since 2020; political instability caused by coalition or party switching among members of Parliament, combined with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the resignation of two prime ministers and the collapse of each of their respective coalition governments since the 2018 general elections.
The National Alliance, officially Perikatan Nasional (PN), is a Malaysian political coalition consisting of right-wing political parties. Previously known as the Persatuan Perikatan Parti Malaysia. It is the second largest political coalition in Dewan Rakyat with 74 seats after Pakatan Harapan (PH) with 81 seats.
The 2020 Sabah state election took place on 26 September 2020 to elect all 73 elected members of the 16th Sabah State Legislative Assembly. The previous Assembly was dissolved on 30 July 2020.
Hajiji bin Haji Noor is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 16th Chief Minister of Sabah since 2020 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sulaman since 1990. He is also the first official chairman of political coalition party in Sabah, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party and 3rd President of the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN).
Datuk Jafry bin Ariffin is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sukau since September 2020. He served as the State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor from October 2020 to his removal from the position in January 2023. He is a member and the Deputy Division Chief of Kinabatangan of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Datuk Ir. Shahelmey bin Yahya is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Deputy Chief Minister III and State Minister of Works of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor since January 2023, Member of Parliament (MP) for Putatan since November 2022 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Tanjung Keramat since September 2020. He served as the State Minister of Community Development and People's Wellbeing in GRS administration under Hajiji from October 2020 to his promotion to deputy chief ministership and switch of ministerial portfolio in January 2023. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Wetrom bin Bahanda is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Marudu since November 2022 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bandau since September 2020. He served as the State Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor from October 2020 to his resignation in October 2022. He is a member of the Social Democratic Harmony Party (KDM) and was a member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) and GRS as well as formerly the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalitions and was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He has also served as the 1st Deputy President of KDM for the Muslim bumiputera quota since October 2022. He is also the older brother of Verdon Bahanda, the MP for Kudat.
Andi Muhammad Suryady bin Bandy is a Malaysian politician who has served as the State Assistant Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and Minister Phoong Jin Zhe since February 2023, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kalabakan since November 2022 as well as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Tanjung Batu since September 2020. He also served as the State Assistant Minister of Industrial Development of Sabah and State Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports of Sabah in the GRS state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji and Ministers Ellron Alfred Angin and Phoong from October 2020 to February 2023. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Sabah People's Coalition, officially Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party is a Malaysian coalition of Sabah-based parties. It was established in 2020 and then registered in 2022 by former United Alliance of Sabah (GBS) and United Borneo Alliance (UBA) component parties operating solely in Sabah inspired by the formula of Sarawak-based coalition, Sarawak Parties Alliance (GPS).
The 16th Sabah State Legislative Assembly is the current term of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, the legislative branch of the Government of Sabah in Sabah, Malaysia. The 16th Assembly consists of 79 members that 73 members were elected in the 2020 Sabah election and 6 members were nominated by the Government and is serving from 26 October 2020 until the next state election.
The Social Democratic Harmony Party is a regional political party based in Sabah, Malaysia founded by Peter Anthony and Juil Nuatim. It aims to represent the interests of the Kadazan-Dusun and Murut people. The KDM is currently aligned to the government as a partner, providing confidence and supply to the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state ruling coalition led by Chief Minister Hajiji Noor. The party picked the acronym KDM, which is a common reference to the native Kadazandusun and Murut communities which the party represents.
United Malays National Organisation of Sabah, also abbreviated as Sabah UMNO, is a branch of the United Malays National Organisation in Sabah, Malaysia. Sabah UMNO supported and was part of the federal government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Sabah UMNO also had one elected representatives holding a deputy ministerial positions respectively in the Anwar Ibrahim cabinet. This branch of UMNO was an independently-built branch in 2018 until 2021, the branch merged back to BN Central Leadership after suffering a split between Ketua Wanita UMNO cawangan Kota Kinabalu and the rebel group between Pemuda UMNO Tuaran and Sipitang.
The 2023 Sabah political crisis or widely reported on local media as Langkah Kinabalu or the Kinabalu Move, began on 6 January 2023, when the state government of Sabah led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) collapsed when its coalition party Barisan Nasional (BN) withdrew its support. The Leader of UMNO Sabah, a component party of BN, Bung Moktar Radin, Kinabatangan Member of Parliament (MP) and Lamag Assemblyman, cited a lack of confidence in the leadership of Chief Minister of Sabah Hajiji Noor in the withdrawal. UMNO Sabah want to change support from supporting GRS coalition to supporting the WARISAN Plus coalition. On 9 January, both Malaysian leaders, prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi travelled to Kota Kinabalu to meet with Sabah political leaders. This crisis resulted in the approval of the Anti-Switching Parties Law in Sabah (approved in 25 May 2023).
In Malaysian politics, a frog refers to an act where a politician crosses the bench from one party to another (changing support). This term was first coined in during the 1994 Sabah state elections after United Sabah Party losing its majority even the party won the state elections. Despite its usage nationwide, it is more familiar within the state of Sabah. Since May 25, 2023, nine (9) states of Malaysia has approved the Parties hopping prevention law also known as the "Anti-Switching Parties Law" or "Anti-Hopping Parties Law" for both Parliament and State legislative assembly including Sabah and Sarawak.
Qualifications needed to register as a voter in Malaysia:
a) A Malaysian citizen above the age of 21.
b) A resident of an election constituency.
c) Is not disqualified by any laws.
You are not eligible to register if you are:
a) on the qualifying date, you are serving jail term or detained as a person of unsound mind.
b) before the qualifying date, you have been convicted or sentenced to death or serving a jail term of more than 12 months and you're still liable on the qualifying date.
c) found guilty under the Election Offences Act, 1954.
d) have a foreign citizenship (Malaysian citizenship law does not permit a Malaysian to carry dual citizenship).