Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said the issue in itself was not new but had become more acute in recent years, with the state suffering frequent drops in voltage – known as brownouts – due to overwhelming demand.

“Perhaps this problem which has long plagued Sabah should be properly addressed before the next state election so as not to let it fester and affect the political outcome,” Oh told FMT.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Bilcher Bala said the issue could pose a major headache for both the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state government and the federal unity government, as voters may perceive their inability to handle the issue as weak governance.

He said this could drive them to vote for change at the next state election, though that may depend on the electoral alliances forged prior to the polls.

Although Putrajaya has granted Sabah the autonomy to regulate its own electricity supply, Bilcher said the state still needs federal assistance in terms of finances.

Continuing to assist Sabah in this area would reflect the unity government’s commitment to the wellbeing of Sabahans, he said.

“On the flipside, failure (to help Sabah) will see the opposition (Perikatan Nasional) questioning the federal government’s competency.

“Putrajaya needs to manage this issue wisely. Failure to do so will affect the political cooperation between Sabah parties and national parties, which could then affect national political stability,” he said.

Sabah Electricity chairman Wilfred Madius Tangau has appealed to the finance ministry to maintain the RM866 million electricity subsidy given to the utility company.

The Energy Commission of Sabah had informed Tangau, an MP of Pakatan Harapan component Upko, that the subsidy may be scrapped this year due to fiscal constraints.

Tangau said with funds allocated in the 2025 federal budget to subsidise Sabah Electricity’s operations deemed insufficient, the Bornean state could face a statewide blackout in January.

Last Saturday, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Beluran, Kunak, Semporna, Lahad Datu and Tawau experienced a blackout which lasted several hours. This also led to water cuts as treatment plants in the affected districts could not operate.

Bilcher said the issue directly affects the daily lives of all Sabahans and may affect their trust in the capability and accountability of both state and federal governments.

Opposition parties could then exploit the issue in hopes of gaining their votes, he said.

“The GRS-Pakatan Harapan state government will be seen as failing to lobby or work effectively with Putrajaya. So how big an issue this will be depends on how both governments react to it.

“If they can show that they’re taking concrete measures to resolve it before the state election, or even the 16th general election, they could alleviate the negative sentiments among voters.”

He added that the electricity subsidy withdrawal could add fuel to “Sabah first” sentiments among political leaders and ordinary Sabahans, which could benefit local parties.