Sabah’s political scene has always been a battlefield. But behind the shifting alliances lies a personal rivalry has now threatened the state into perpetual turmoil.

At the heart of this feud are two men — Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor who is the leader of the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and also Parti Gagasan, and Warisan president, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal. 

And their story is one of broken promises, political survival, and a bitter legacy.

The gentleman’s agreement that fell apart

Before the 2018 election, Shafie had a deal with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Mahathir wouldn’t bring Bersatu into Sabah.

In return, Shafie would strengthen local parties to fight off UMNO’s influence. It was a gentleman’s agreement.

But when Barisan Nasional fell in 2018, so did the promise.

Enter Bersatu

UMNO’s collapse left Hajiji and his Sabah allies in the wilderness after the 2018 general election.

For politicians, being in opposition is political suicide. For one perhaps, without federal funds being in the opposition, it’s tough to deliver promises to voters.

So Hajiji and his camp ditched UMNO. And in April 2019, Hajiji launched Bersatu’s Sabah chapter. It was a strategic move — align with the federal government and part of the ruling Sabah government too.

But Shafie see it was a betrayal.

The collapse of Warisan 

Following a two-year court battle of the rightful chief minister case between Shafie and Musa, Shafie’s Warisan-led government crumbled after some of his allies started defecting. 

This paved the way for former Sabah Barisan and Sabah Umno liaison chief Tan Sri Musa Aman (now Tun) to reclaim his former position as chief minister. 

He claimed to have the numbers to topple Shafie. Instead of stepping down, Shafie called a snap election. It was a risky move.

The result?

It did not ruled on Shafie’s favour – A narrow victory for Hajiji’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition. 

Shafie, however, refused to concede defeat. His party won 29 seats. A single party with the most seats. 

He argued that Warisan had the most seats. He based his argument according to Article 6(7) of the Sabah constitution that states the chief minister must come from a party that won the most seats.

But he never challenged it in court unlike his predecessor Musa after the 208 general election. 

The crisis of 2023: A failed coup and political chaos

Fast forward to 2023. Sabah’s political scene was in chaos again. Hajiji, now without a party after quitting Bersatu, faced a legitimacy crisis.

Sabah UMNO, led by Bung Moktar Radin, withdrew support for Hajiji and was ready to form a new government with Warisan.

But their coup attempt failed for several reasons. 

For one, Pakatan Harapan leaders, expected to join the coup, pulled a surprise move. They backed Hajiji instead.

They said the decision was driven by principle — no backdoor government like the Sheraton Move. For some, they called this incident the “Kinabalu Move.” 

Hajiji survived the crisis, but barely holding on to power.

Amending the rules to stay in power

Hajiji knew his position was shaky.

Article 6(7) of the Sabah Constitution was a threat. It said the Chief Minister must be from the party with the most seats.

And Hajiji, now party-less, didn’t meet that criteria. So in May 2023, GRS amended the state constitution.

They scrapped Article 6(7).

They also enforced the anti-party hopping law to stop defections. 

This comes after several Warisan assemblymen defected to support Hajiji further strengthening his grip to power. 

After resigning from Bersatu in December 2022, Hajiji Noor claimed GRS allowed for direct membership, but to further solidify his position, he took over Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS) — a small, little-known party.

The rebranded PGRS was officially launched in January 2023, making it Hajiji’s political vehicle within the GRS coalition.

With the formation of PGRS, GRS was also able to promote itself as an all-local party, distancing itself from Peninsular-based influences and positioning itself as a defender of Sabah’s autonomy.

The twist in the Saga

In December 2024, Sabah’s political landscape shifted again.

Musa Aman was appointed Head of State. A position with significant influence, especially in appointing the next Chief Minister. For Shafie, this could come as a bad news.

While their feud dates back decades, Musa has the power to shape the state’s leadership once again.  – January 10, 2025