The poll results showed that only one top Sabah Umno leader won, namely Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin in Lamag.

Former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak was defeated in Usukan, while other leaders like Sabah Umno information chief Suhaimi Nasir and election director Jeffrey Nor Mohamed lost in Sungai Sibuga and Tanjung Keramat, respectively.

Besides the traditional seats of Usukan and Sungai Sibuga, BN also lost strongholds like Tempasuk, Sugut, Balung and Tanjung Batu.

BN’s foothold in Sabah has weakened over the past decade, with the coalition winning fewer and fewer parliamentary and state seats in recent years, especially after the departure of key local leaders and component parties, like Upko and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

In 2008, the coalition won 59 of 60 seats up for grabs, but this diminished over the years to just 14 in the 2020 state polls and now six yesterday.

The rise of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-aligned candidates and other local parties has further eroded Umno’s traditional support base.

Former Umno leaders like GRS chairman Hajiji Noor and secretary-general Masidi Manjun easily defended their respective Sulaman and Karanaan seats.

Fellow BN component MCA saw its two candidates in Tanjong Kapor and Karamunting soundly defeated. The party lost to GRS and Warisan, respectively.

PBRS regains traditional seat

On a more positive note for BN, its sole local component Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) managed to regain the Sook seat through party president Arthur Joseph Kurup.

Kurup wrested the seat from GRS’s Ellron Alfred Angin, who had been PBRS’s Sook assemblyman from 2008 to 2018, when he contested as an independent.

In the 2020 state polls, Ellron managed to retain the seat on a Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku ticket, winning with a 1,232-vote majority.

Besides Sook, PBRS also contested for the Kundasang seat but lost to PBS president Dr Joachim Gunsalam.