Malaysia’s Anwar faces ‘need to win’ election in Sabah in bid to expand his base

Sabah’s state poll is seen as a key barometer of the prime minister’s appeal among voters ahead of the next general election

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a conference in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 7 Oct 2025Updated: 5:22pm, 7 Oct 2025

Sabah’s state poll is expected to be a critical gauge of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s popularity beyond his traditional base in the peninsula, analysts say, as the country enters the election season marked by fears over an economic slowdown, job insecurity and culture wars.

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor announced the dissolution of the state assembly on Monday, paving the way for the first in a series of state elections over the next two years that could influence Anwar’s presumed re-election bid in the national poll.

Malaysia’s general election must be held by the first quarter of 2028.

A key pillar in propping up Anwar’s supermajority in parliament, Sabah is set to be the first serious test of whether his government can count on the backing of voters beyond its strongholds in the commercial and economic hubs of Selangor and Penang – two of the country’s most developed states.

“Anwar and his government are trying to portray Malaysia Madani as inclusive, so they need to win this election [in Sabah],” political analyst Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri said, referring to Anwar’s government tagline, which roughly translates to “civilisation” in Malay.

Malaysia’s Election Commission is expected to meet in the coming weeks to decide on the date of the state poll, which must be held by early December.

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