25/01/2026

NATIONAL 2 theSun on Sunday JAN 25, 2026

BN wins decisively in Kinabatangan by-election

PETALING Winning candidates in the Lamag and Kinabatangan by-elections must prioritise effective service delivery and accountability to earn voters’ trust in the months ahead, said International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst and Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute fellow Assoc Prof Dr Syaza Shukri. She said service delivery remains the most critical priority for elected representatives, JAYA: challenging journey across a river known for its risks, several residents of Kampung Bilit Seberang made their way to cast their votes for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state seats yesterday. Tourism worker Siti Zamziah Zaini, 42 said she, her mother, five siblings and neighbours began their journey as early as 8am from the village jetty. They crossed the Kinabatangan River to reach the polling station at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bilit. The crossing, which takes PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) claimed a decisive victory in the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election yesterday. Its candidate Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar, son of the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, secured close to 20,000 votes, ahead of Warisan’s Saddi Abdul Rahman and Independent Goldam Hamid, who garnered 5,638 and 946 respectively as of 9pm last night. After counting had been completed at all 119 polling streams, BN reportedly won the seat with a 14,214-vote majority with 54.66% voter turnout, based on preliminary results. Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki confirmed the outcome in a social media post. He said in Lamag, BN’s Mohd Ismail Ayob obtained 7,269 votes, ahead of Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek, who polled 1,588 votes, to secure a majority of 5,681 in the straight contest. After counting at all 32 polling streams in Lamag had been completed, voter turnout was reported at 64%. Earlier, Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said BN had retained both seats in the by-elections. “ Alhamdulillah , Kinabatangan and Lamag remain with BN. Thank you to everyone,” he said in a post on his Facebook page. He added that Umno Youth has now produced another elected representative to serve Ű BY HASHINI KAVISHTRI KANNAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

around 10 minutes, requires careful attention due to the potential risk of encountering crocodiles. “In our Orang Sungai language, we call crocodiles adu-adu , which is a term of respect, like calling someone grandmother. We have cultural norms and taboos too. For example, we always ask for permission to pass, so they don’t disturb us.” She added that although the journey carries risks, she and her family trust fate. “We have encountered crocodiles before but we remain adding that voters want leaders who are responsive and capable of delivering results. She said recent electoral trends in Sabah point to a shift in voter expectations, with greater emphasis on governance standards rather than party loyalty or individual personalities. She added that a strong showing by the Opposition would reflect a growing demand for checks and balances in state governance. “Yes, it would mean that Sabah politics may be moving away from personalities or parties, and Mohd Kurniawan secures almost 20,000 votes, leaving no room for doubt on which candidate was favourite among constituents the people. “We don’t just talk, we deliver! This is the Umno Youth way. Grateful to the party leadership for trusting the Youth to represent the party.” A total of 48,526 voters were eligible to cast their ballots in Kinabatangan, while Lamag had 13,703 registered voters. Voting in both constituencies proceeded smoothly under good weather conditions, with no untoward incidents reported. A total of 1,106 Election Commission staff, supported by 926 police personnel managed the by-elections, while 176 police personnel and their spouses cast their early ballots on Jan 20.

National and state-level Umno Youth members celebrating Mohd Kurniawan’s victory last night. – PIC COURTESY OF UMNO YOUTH FACEBOOK PAGE

Kinabatangan saw a three cornered fight, while Lamag witnessed a straight contest between BN and Warisan.

the official results. The were triggered by the death of Bung Moktar, 66, on Dec 5 last year. by-elections

Vote counting took place at Dewan Sri Lamag, with returning officer Eddy Syaizul Rizam Abdullah announcing

‘Winning candidates must prioritise service delivery, accountability’

sight. My eyesight worsened after a fall down the stairs, and for the last two months I have been entirely blind,” he said at the polling centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Garam II. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Siti Khairia Asri, who was voting for the second time, said she was determined not to miss the chance to fulfil her responsibilities in the by-elections. She said despite the recent state election, young voters like her had no reason to take their responsibility lightly. – Bernama results are unlikely to significantly influence Sabah’s next state election, which is still five years away. “The results of this by-election are merely completing the legacy of Bung Mokhtar and Umno (BN) and will not change Sabah politics in the upcoming state elections.” Mazlan said BN’s victory reaffirms these constituencies as party strongholds while also signalling to the party that sustained engagement and consistent service delivery are needed to maintain voter support.

responsibility as a voter. Undeterred by his visual impairment, 66-year-old Ammase Baco also cast his vote in yesterday’s Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections, assisted by his daughter. He said it was the second time he had exercised his right to vote, having first done so in the Sabah state election on Nov 29 last year, after his vision deteriorated in September. “I have never missed voting in any election, despite a severe corneal problem affecting my see consistency. Looking ahead, she said representatives must adopt tailored strategies to meet the needs of different voter groups. “For rural communities, it is important to deliver basic needs and access, while younger voters want more transparency and accountability. “So, it really is about clear communication and clear outcomes that meet the needs of the people.” Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mazlan Ali said the by-election

optimistic and proceed with caution,” she said after casting her vote. In addition to safety concerns, the villagers face a scarcity of private boats. Many must rely on tourist boats or hitch rides with others. Siti Zamziah said it is common for neighbours to pool resources to buy fuel for the boats, ensuring that they can travel together and support one another in fulfilling their civic duty. For the mother of three, logistical hurdles like these did not stand in the way of her towards accountability to the government.” On infrastructure commitments in Kinabatangan, including major projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway, she stressed that transparency is key in maintaining public confidence. “Public updates and explanations on delays would ensure the credibility of the government.” Syaza said despite the favourable by-election outcome, Umno needs to rebuild trust and credibility beyond personality driven politics, as voters want to

Voters overcome challenges to exercise civic duty KINABATANGAN: Despite a