Sabah assembly dissolution expected Monday amid shifting political alliances

Sabah assembly dissolution expected Monday amid shifting political alliances



Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's office had previously said a press conference on the dissolution would be called at the appropriate time. — Bernama file pic

Saturday, 04 Oct 2025 9:46 AM MYT


KOTA KINABALU, Oct 4 — The Sabah state assembly is widely expected to be dissolved next week, with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor likely to make the announcement on Monday, The Star reported.

According to the English daily, state ministers had bid farewell to each other and taken photographs after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with many anticipating the dissolution to be announced the following day.

However, speculation is that the exit of Sabah STAR, led by Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, and the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) from the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition may have delayed the move.

A senior political source told The Star that Hajiji, who leads the GRS-Pakatan Harapan state government, had already sought the consent of Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman to dissolve the assembly, paving the way for the 17th state election.


The source, who declined to be named, did not address whether legal questions over the assembly’s term were a factor in Hajiji’s push for an early dissolution.

Sabah Speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya had previously stated the five-year term of the assembly ends on November 11, as the first sitting of the 16th assembly was opened by the Governor on November 12, 2020.

However, the report noted that after the September 2020 snap election, a special session was held on October 9 that year for the swearing-in of assemblymen.


Kadzim had argued this did not count as the first sitting, though some legal observers contend the state constitution is unclear on the definition.

Amid heightened speculation and debate on social media, Hajiji’s media office said a press conference on the dissolution would be called at the appropriate time.

In the September 2020 polls, the Warisan-Pakatan Harapan state government led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal was ousted by a loose coalition of Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Parti Bersatu Sabah, which later formalised into GRS.

As of now, GRS holds 42 seats in the 73-member assembly, while Sabah Barisan has 12, Warisan 14, Pakatan seven, Parti KDM two and PAS one. The Sungai Sibuga seat is vacant following the death of Barisan assemblyman Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain.