1990 Sabah state election

The 1990 Sabah state election was held between Monday, 16 July and Tuesday, 17 July 1990.^[1] Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) was the incumbent ruling party in the state and part of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which PBS joined after the 1986 state election.^[2]

1990 Sabah state election

← 1986 16–17 July 1990 1994 →
← 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 Joseph Pairin Kitingan Mustapha Harun Harris Salleh Party PBS USNO BERJAYA Alliance Barisan Nasional (federal) Barisan Nasional (federal) Leader since 1985 1981 Leader's seat Tambunan Usukan Sipitang (lost) Last election 34 seats 12 seats 1 seat Seats won 36 12 0 Seat change 2 1
Chief Minister before election Joseph Pairin Kitingan Barisan Nasional, (PBS) Elected Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan Barisan Nasional, (PBS)

In the election, PBS won with the same seat as the previous election, 34. United Sabah National Organization (USNO) winning the remaining 14 seats to become the main opposition, while other parties, including former state government party BERJAYA, did not win any seat.^[3]

Contesting parties

USNO was also a member of the BN but rival of PBS. Therefore, PBS and USNO candidates were made to contest under their own party tickets.

Among other parties contesting for the first time including AKAR formed by former PBS vice-president Mark Koding, PBS member Kalakau Untol, and USNO ex-member Pandikar Amin Mulia; Parti Rakyat Sabah formed by ex-BERJAYA member James Ongkili, and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Peninsula-based Democratic Action Party is also contesting in Sabah.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	United Sabah Party	197,708	53.92	36	+2
	United Sabah National Organisation	95,857	26.14	12	0
	Sabah People's United Front	25,993	7.09	0	New
	Liberal Democratic Party	14,323	3.91	0	New
	Sabah People's Party	12,133	3.31	0	New
	People's Justice Front	10,757	2.93	0	New
	Democratic Action Party	5,879	1.60	0	0
	Independents	4,006	1.09	0	0
Total		366,656	100.00	48	0
Valid votes		366,656	98.69
Invalid/blank votes		4,868	1.31
Total votes		371,524	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		496,353	74.85
Source: HLSC

Aftermath

PBS' Joseph Pairin Kitingan were sworn in as Chief Minister for the third time, on 18 July 1990.^[4] The state EXCO members were sworn in the following day.^[5]

On October that year, just before the 1990 Malaysian general election, Pairin announced PBS exit from BN and joining Gagasan Rakyat coalition with Democratic Action Party (DAP).^[6]

BERJAYA continued its decline from its heyday as a government in 1976-1985 with defeats in all constituencies, including in Sipitang where its leader Harris Salleh lost to PBS and garnering only 969 votes. It even fails to retain its only seat in Buang Sayang, also won by PBS candidate.^[3] This was the final election that BERJAYA contests.

The following year on 21 February, USNO were changed into a new entity, the Sabah chapter of Peninsula-based United Malays National Organization (UMNO) under BN.^[7][8] BERJAYA would merge into UMNO Sabah 2 months later, when it was announced by Harris on 11 April that he and all members of BERJAYA are joining UMNO Sabah.^[9]

In 1992, 5 USNO assemblyman join PBS coalition. The other 7 USNO member remained within USNO until it was deregistered. When USNO was deregistered, 6 assemblyman joined UMNO Sabah and 6 others joined PBS.