“Our greatest regret is that we couldn’t present a united coalition in the state polls. The results could have been different,” he said at a press conference here.

He said leaders of the Pakatan Harapan coalition would meet after taking a rest, as they had been campaigning for the past two weeks.

Barisan Nasional was returned to power with 72 seats in the 82-seat state assembly. DAP were returned in seven seats, having lost five seats it had held in the old assembly. PKR candidates were re-elected in their three seats.

The dispute over seat allocations between PKR and DAP resulted in the two coalition allies clashing in Batu Kitang, Mambong, Ngemah, Simanggang, Murum and Mulu. BN took all six seats.

Lim added that the low voter turnout was one of the factors in DAP’s “crushing defeat”, and explained that voters were not optimistic of the possibility of changing the state government.

However, he expressed optimism about the next national general election, which must be held by July 2018.

“Unlike the state elections, the possibility of changing government is there for the general election,” he said. “It would be the main issue and it will be a different ball game altogether.”