“The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.”
– John Lewis, US Representative
I HAVE written four commentaries on the Sabah election so far in my column in two publications, and this will be my fifth and final instalment here, as polling day is on Saturday, 29 November.
In this final article, I will focus on my personal preference for the leader and party to lead Sabah over the next five years.
Last Sunday, I shared this ‘personal’ message with friends in my social media groups:
“I think (Datuk Seri) Shafie Apdal deserves another shot as Sabah Chief Minister.
“Somehow, I believe he has got rid of the dreaded Umno DNA and should be good for Sabah over the next five years, at least.
“To me, Shafie is the best of the lot of 596 jobless desperadoes offering themselves for a mere 73 vacancies.
“If I were a voter in Sabah, Shafie and Warisan would get my one precious ballot.
“I hope Sabahans will vote wisely and enable Shafie to lead the next coalition government after 29 November.”
Although many agree with my choice of Shafie and Warisan, there were also others who were wary of Shafie’s past and his “weaknesses and failures”.
Let me share a sample of the feedback from my friends:
- You are correct to allow Shafie another five years. That will give him time to prove his worth.
- My wish is for Warisan and all local Sabah parties to come together. “Sabah for Sabahans”. No BN, PH or GRS.
- Agree with you completely. At least a full term of five years.
- Shafie is probably the best of the worst!
- A Warisan victory is also good for Sarawak too.
- I will support any leader who is prepared to fight corruption. Is Shafie one of them?
- It will be no easy ride for the chief minister of Sabah. It does not matter who the CM is. He will have to face many “enemies and opponents” who are ever ready to knock him down.
- I will support local parties. I hope all of them can work together, but I know that’s a tall order.
Then, there were also the sceptics among my friends.
- Give Shafie a second chance? After the experience with (Tun Dr) Mahathir and PH, that gives me the creeps.
- Shafie has made a lot of blunders in his short term as CM, the worst of which is nepotism. I’m not sure he deserves another shot as CM. I believe these “tainted spots” which brought him down in 2020 could return to haunt him in this election.
- I have a lot of friends in Sabah – my university mates, my relatives and some from the legal profession. Sadly, none are seen except those political friends. Some are stuck in Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere and have expressed their intention not to return to vote, not because they lack the means. It’s just that they are not going back to vote! There must be good reasons for such indifference.
- I know most of the top leaders in Sabah and any one of them deserves a second chance; but sadly, only Sabah has no chance!
As I read my friend’s remark that “Sabah has no chance”, I also came across Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan’s retort that “Sabah is sick” in a news portal report.
I gather that both views concur and that they were lamenting the loss of integrity, discipline and moral compass within the political class – qualities once held as the foundation of leadership. When leaders lose the confidence of the people, the state itself suffers.
Now, why do I think that Shafie Apdal and Warisan deserve a second chance to helm Sabah again?
I must stress that my view is shaped not by blind loyalty – I do not know Shafie personally – but by what I witnessed during his brief tenure, and by the circumstances under which it ended.
Shafie’s administration, from 2018 to 2020, lasted barely two years. It did not fall because the people rejected him, nor because his policies failed.
It collapsed because of betrayal from within his own coalition. The same culture of opportunism and political treachery that scarred national politics during the Sheraton Move also crippled Sabah.
I have said this many times and I will say it again here – I have no respect for those who traded the people’s mandate for personal gain; the scars of 2020 remain fresh, and forgiveness does not come easily.
Despite the brevity of his tenure, Shafie brought a sense of direction, dignity and determination to Sabah. Yet two years is far too short for any leader to prove the full measure of his capability or to deliver lasting structural change.
That is why I believe Shafie deserves a second chance – this time, a full five-year mandate. Not to settle old scores, but to complete the work he began: strengthening institutions, empowering rural communities, and restoring political stability in a state long exhausted by shifting loyalties and factional battles.
This is, of course, my personal view. But I am heartened to know that many friends in my social media circles share the same sentiment.
Across Sabah and beyond, there is a quiet but firm belief that Shafie represents a steadier hand, a more principled leadership and a chance for Sabah to move forward with purpose and unity.
In an election crowded with noise, shifting alliances and recycled faces, Shafie Apdal remains, for me, the most credible and capable choice to lead Sabah once more.
It is just three more days to D-Day, and when 29 November comes along, the intelligent and diligent voters of Sabah should know what to do.
● Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune.
