Nurul, who is PKR’s co-election director, said past election defeats had never ended the party’s struggle to defend the people and uphold justice, adding that it will continue its work in Sabah.

She said PKR accepted and respected the decision by Sabahans at the ballot box yesterday, describing it as a “reminder and lesson” for the party.

“The results have also reflected the people’s sentiments on the issues of governance, transparency, and local leadership,” she said in a statement.

“It’s a clear message that disunity not only weakens political strength, but also erodes the people’s trust in our ability to offer stable and responsible leadership.

“As the PKR deputy president, I take full responsibility collectively for the team over the results.”

Nurul Izzah said she and fellow PKR election director Saifuddin Nasution Ismail knew that the party’s struggle was not merely defined by election results, but the ability to learn from its weakness and come back stronger.

“The journey is not over. As long as there are people who need to be defended and justice needs to be upheld, PKR will continue to stand, work and fight,” she said.

PKR fielded 12 candidates in the state election but ended up with only one seat, with Jamawi Jaafar, formerly of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, winning in Melalap.

The party also lost two traditional seats, Inanam and Api-Api, which it had held since 2013.

PKR had struggled for years to expand its influence beyond the two seats, which it retained in the 2020 state polls.

The party also holds the Sepanggar parliamentary seat, the only victory out of 10 contests in the 2022 general election.