Aliakbar, who won the Karambunai seat, was commenting on whether the party would continue supporting Hajiji’s administration, as it had previously.

“We will continue talks on the best path for PN after having secured one seat,” the Sabah PAS commissioner told FMT.

Aliakbar, who is also Sabah PN’s vice-chairman, was nominated as an assemblyman by the state government following the 2020 state election.

Earlier, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition needed to consult PAS before deciding whether to back Hajiji’s administration or take up the role of opposition.

Analyst Lee Kuok Tiung from Universiti Malaysia Sabah said PAS’s historic win in the state election was due to Aliakbar’s approachable personality and his ability to consistently mobilise grassroots support since 2020.

He said Aliakbar had worked hard at the grassroots level over the past five years, engaging with and gaining the trust of local communities, including non-Muslims.

In the 11-cornered contest in Karambunai, Aliakbar, contesting on the PN ticket, garnered 7,054 votes, defeating Warisan (6,689), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (4,818), and Barisan Nasional (4,475).