Awang Azman Pawi says Mustafa Sakmud’s leadership will help Pakatan Harapan navigate internal negotiations and seat allocations better ahead of the upcoming state election in Sabah.
00:00According to analysts, Sabah PKR chief Mustafa Sakmut's re-election as division head has breathed new life into the party state chapter, after veteran leader Kristina Liu was defeated in her own division.
00:14Mustafa, the federal government's deputy higher education minister and Sapangar MP, secured a decisive win in Kota Belut, while Liu, a former Sabah deputy chief minister, lost the top divisional post in Kota Kinabalu.
00:28Awang Azban-Pawi of University Malaya believes the leadership shift in Sabah PKR will help PH navigate internal negotiations and seed allocations better ahead of the upcoming Sabah state election.
00:41He also said Mustafa's win reflected strong grassroots trust, leaving him well positioned to lead the party into the state polls.
00:49Meanwhile, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Musantara said Liu's loss wasn't surprising as her influence had waned over the years, and Mustafa's leadership offered PKR a chance to rebuild its electoral strategy from the ground up.
01:02He said this puts PKR in a stronger position during seat discussions.
01:07However, Ilham Center's Hizamuddin Bakar cautioned that while Mustafa brought renewed energy, his biggest challenges lay ahead, especially with complex coalition dynamics in Sabah.
01:18Hizamuddin said Mustafa would be expected to revamp the state party machinery and align Sabah's strategy with the national leadership, especially with voter sentiment continuing to evolve.
