Sabah Turks

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 As the names of hundreds of candidates are announced today in Sabah’s 17th state election, it is important to recognise the broad leadership picture of what is happening in Sabah, a dynamic that is fundamentally changing national politics.
The coming polls showcase an ongoing leadership generational change, as new Sabah Turks are rising.
While senior leaders continue to play a defining role in leadership positions from the governor to the chief minister position, the emergence of younger voices across the political divide has strengthened the calls for justice and representation for Sabah.
Old guard: Senior leaders
Two generational features will define the state election and her outcome. The first is long-standing personal relationships and competition among older leaders.
Dynamics among leaders who entered politics in the 1990s, especially when Umno entered Sabah, have been shaping Sabah politics for decades, but in particular since 2018, when Sabah has seen greater political fragmentation and leadership contestation.
These individuals define Sabah politics - Musa Aman, Shafie Apdal, Hajiji Noor, Bung Moktar Radin, Salleh Keruak, Jeffrey Kitingan and Masidi Manjun, to name just a few of the most prominent old guard leaders, have long been synonymous with Sabah leadership and political competition.
These ties will continue to be salient moving forward, as these leaders hold powerful positions within parties and have their loyal followers. They offer experience and networks to bridge Sabah’s fragmented political landscape.
Hajiji Noor (left) and Musa AmanThey have set the future of the major parties/coalitions - Warisan, GRS, BN and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star). Collectively, these parties/coalitions form the basis of the competition in the slate of candidates announced today.
They will also be important in defining who could work together in coalition to govern Sabah when the results are announced. Their relationship with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is an important part of the dynamic.
The fielding of Musa’s son, Yamani Hafez, in Sindumin, after the endorsement of the appointment as governor, showcases strategic positioning, as does the similar fielding of another son, Hazem Mubarak, in Sungai Manila by GRS.
New fighters: The Ewon factor
What is not fully appreciated is the second trend - a rise of a new generation of leaders, largely in their 40s, who are redefining leadership for Sabahans, giving them new voices.
The most prominent of these in the news in recent weeks is Upko’s Ewon Benedick, who has called out the doublespeak position of the federal government on the 40 percent revenue issue with a “double quit” decision, leaving both the cabinet and Pakatan Harapan.
This decision is seen from the ground, especially among urban and semi-urban voters, as a principled decision, recognising that an appeal of any part of a decision is still an appeal.
This decision especially resonates among Kadazandusun Murut and younger voters, who are looking for stronger representation for the state. At the core are deep-seated concerns about how Sabah is being treated by the federal government and its leadership. Few in Peninsular Malaysia fully appreciate how deep this sentiment is.
Ewon’s party Upko is contesting in over 20 seats across Sabah, offering candidates across faiths, in a development that will test how voters look at Anwar’s leadership regarding Sabah.
Ewon BenedickEwon has centred his party’s campaign on stronger state representation and better service delivery. Upko and PKR are fighting each other in multiple seats from Moyog to Bandau.
The Turk transformation
On the whole, many Sabahans are looking for fresh leadership and ideas, leaders who are putting working for the people first and offering service and solutions to long-standing issues.
This message of “buat kerja”, those who do the work, who serve/assist, can be heard across Sabah. This is an outlook that is evolving across Malaysia, as voters want more from their government.
The Sabah Turks phenomenon includes a range of leaders who are transforming the state’s leadership. In age, they extend from the early 50s to their 30s, with different outlooks than the older leaders.
These individuals are seen to be prioritising the serious basic needs issues of Sabah voters, from development and deliverables to roads to rights. They are speaking out for Sabah in a manner that is more centred on solutions to the specific challenges Sabah faces.
Those among the most prominent Turks include GRS’s Armizan Ali (representing Papar) and Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (representing Batu Sapi), Warisan’s Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (contesting Usukan) and Azis Jamman (formerly representing Sepanggar), BN’s Arthur Joseph Kurup (contesting Sook), Samasuddin Yusop (contesting Tanjung Batu) and Mohamad Alamin (contesting Bongawan), and DAP’s Phoong Jin Zhe (contesting Likas) and Vivian Wong (contesting Elopura), along with Ewon (contesting Kadamaian).
This is not an exclusive list, as Sabah is seeing younger politicians rise, and those who are capable are making a difference in Sabah’s less hierarchical and more collaborative context. Sabah arguably has the most younger politicians in leadership positions than any state in Malaysia.
All highlighted above hold positions in their respective parties/coalitions, and many (although not all) are contesting in this election. All of these leaders have respectable records in their constituencies and have been voicing out for meaningful deliverables and policy changes. They all will play important roles in the ongoing Sabah election campaigns.
Importantly, there are also other Turks on the horizon. In particular, a person to watch is Ruji Ubi of PKR contesting in Merotai, who shares the technocratic and solutions focus of the other Sabah Turks.
Ruji UbiPush for change
No question, Sabah’s polls and new government will be shaped by both older and younger leaders. Inter-generational collaboration has been a feature of Sabah politics, especially in the past five years.
What makes the Sabah Turk phenomenon so important is that it challenges the view that there is a deficit of young leadership in Malaysia. Younger Sabahan leaders have already been a driver for change in Sabah. When given the space, they have already yielded results.
From voicing out in Parliament to development in their constituencies, these changes are substantive, even if not broadly recognised. The Turks’ focus has largely been on the work rather than on themselves.
Looking ahead, the Sabah Turks will be a force that will reshape Sabah - and Malaysia’s - future. Collectively, among the Turks, there is recognition that much more needs to be done for Sabah. This is a distinctive feature of this younger leadership collective - they look to the future, they give hope. - Mkini
BRIDGET WELSH is an honorary research associate of the University of Nottingham’s Asia Research Institute, a senior research associate at Hu Fu Centre for East Asia Democratic Studies, and a senior associate fellow at The Habibie Centre. Her writings can be found at bridgetwelsh.com.
She is on the ground in Sabah researching the polls, and her written analysis can be found exclusively in Malaysiakini and through her self-funded podcast Kerusi Panas Sabah.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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