1981 Sabah state election

The 1981 Sabah state election was held between Monday, 23 March and Saturday, 28 March 1981. This was the fourth state election to take place. The Sabah State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on 21 February 1981, 2 months earlier than the expiry of the Assembly term on 26 April 1981. Candidates nomination took place on 7 March 1981.^[2][3]

1981 Sabah state election

← 1976 23–28 March 1981 1985 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 48 seats in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly 25 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Harris Salleh Said Keruak Steven Chan Tze Hiang[1] Party BERJAYA USNO SCCP Alliance Barisan Nasional (federal) Barisan Nasional (federal) Barisan Sabah (state) Barisan Sabah (state) Leader since 1976 1961 Leader's seat Tenom Usukan Bandar Tawau Last election 28 seats 20 seats – Seats won 44 3 1 Seat change 16 17 New
Chief Minister before election Harris Salleh Barisan Nasional, (BERJAYA) Elected Chief Minister Harris Salleh Barisan Nasional, (BERJAYA)

In the election, BERJAYA Party led by Harris Salleh, an ally of federal government party Barisan Nasional (BN), won the election with a supermajority of 44 seats out of 48, and thus continued its governance of the state won since the last election on 1976.^[4] USNO, another component party of BN but opposition to BERJAYA on state level, created a coalition, Barisan Sabah, with PASOK and SCCP to fight BERJAYA.^[1] However the result were disastrous to the new coalition as they only won 4 seats; USNO reduced from 20 to 3 seats, SCCP winning one seat and PASOK none.^[4]

Results

Party		Seats	+/–
	Sabah People's United Front	44	+16
	United Sabah National Organisation	3	–17
	Sabah Chinese Consolidated Party	1	New
	United Pasok Nunukragang National Organisation	0	New
	Parti Perhimpunan Sosial Bersatu	0	New
	Democratic Action Party	0	New
	United Sabah People's Organisation	0	New
	SEDAR	0	New
	Independents	0	0
Total		48	0
Source: HLSC

Aftermath

See also: 1985 Sabah state election

Harris were sworn in as Chief Minister for his second term, along with sworn in of his cabinet minister, on 30 March.^[5]

After USNO and Barisan Sabah's comprehensive defeat in the election, Said Keruak stepped down as USNO leader,^[6] replaced by Mustapha Harun, the former USNO leader and former Chief Minister.^[7] USNO would later expelled from BN in 1984, due to Mustapha's action against BN, one of which opposing the move to make Labuan a Federal Territory.^[8]

Internal clashes within BERJAYA led to Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the party's vice-president, exiting BERJAYA with several of the party assemblymen and formed Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).^[9] Pairin also won a December 1984 by-election, as an independent, in the Tambunan seat he had to vacate due to his resignation from BERJAYA and Sabah Assembly.^[10] These events led to Harris calling a snap election in March 1985, with the election held on 20–21 April 1985. PBS succeeded in toppling the BERJAYA government, winning 25 seats and setting in motion the 1985-1986 constitutional crisis in Sabah.

References

1. "Tunku: Do not spoilt votes". 11 March 1981. p. 11. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
2. Laporan Pilihan Raya Umum Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah, Tahun 1981, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya
3. "Who's where for the five-day polls". 8 March 1981. p. 9. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
4. "It's a knock-out by Berjaya". 29 March 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
5. Omar, Amin (31 March 1981). "We'll follow Hussein's advice - Harris". news.google.com. New Straits Times. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
6. "Usno chief to step down". The Straits Times. eresources.nlb.gov.sg. New Straits Times. 11 April 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
7. Datuk Teddy Chin (3 July 2022). "The rise, fall and rise again of Usno". www.dailyexpress.com.my. Daily Express (Malaysia). Retrieved 1 January 2023.
8. Bernama (16 April 1984). "Usno expelled from National Front". The Straits Times. eresources.nlb.gov.sg. p. 16. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
9. Arnold Puyok (February 2011). "Political Development in Sabah, 1985-2010. Challenges in Malaysian Federalism and Ethnic Politics" (Discussion paper). irasec.com. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
10. "Kitingan beats Berjaya man in Tambunan by-election". 31 December 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 5 January 2023.