This is a far cry from the 11 seats it won in the 2020 state election, and PAS’s historic breakthrough by winning the Karambunai seat would undoubtedly add insult to injury for Bersatu.

Both parties contested under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner.

Sabah PN chief Ronald Kiandee was one of the big names fielded by Bersatu but he was defeated by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) James Ratib, who was elected to a fourth term as Sugut assemblyman.

This was not an unexpected outcome given the little time Bersatu had to muster the machinery and support needed for the polls.

GRS chairman Hajiji Noor had led a mass exit of Sabah Bersatu leaders in December 2022, following the 15th general election (GE15), as they backed the unity government, leaving their former party with zero representatives in the then state assembly.

Bersatu’s poor performance would naturally add to party president Muhyiddin Yassin’s concerns, with the former prime minister battling discontent within the party as well as calls for him to step down ahead of the 16th general election (GE16).

The calls for him to relinquish the Bersatu presidency to his deputy, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, are expected to grow with the Sabah election results.

Fellow PN component Gerakan also saw its three candidates soundly defeated by Warisan in Luyang, Elopura and Tanjong Papat, as its poor election track record under the coalition continues.