KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Aliakbar Gulasan’s win in the Karambunai state seat during the 17th Sabah state election was largely propelled by his personal reputation and cross-community appeal rather than party influence, according to Ilham Centre’s Chief Executive Officer, Hisommudin Bakar.
Hisommudin noted that Aliakbar had already cultivated a strong base among Muslim voters while maintaining a warm rapport with the Christian community, a combination that strengthened his standing long before nomination day.
He said Aliakbar’s credibility was shaped during his tenure as an appointed assemblyman after the 16th state election.
“Aliakbar’s leadership traits were effectively leveraged to expand his influence in Karambunai, much like what he had established in Sepanggar.
“As a former academic at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), with firm ties to surau networks and known for assisting local church communities in his personal capacity, he was already widely recognised,” he explained.
Hisommudin shared the assessment during an episode of The Tiger Show podcast hosted by Amin Iskandar.
He was responding to claims that Aliakbar’s win reflected the growing dominance of Pas in Sabah politics.
“That interpretation from Pas is rather misguided. They view the victory as a result of party strength, but the data points more toward Aliakbar’s individual appeal,” he added.
In the election, Aliakbar secured 7,069 votes, beating Warisan’s Ahmad Jais Otong (6,698 votes), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s Arshad Idris (4,811 votes), and Barisan Nasional’s Yakub Khan (4,478 votes).
Despite Aliakbar’s success—hailed by some as Pas’s symbolic “first foothold” in Borneo—the coalition he represented, Perikatan Nasional, suffered major losses overall, winning only 33 out of 73 contested seats.