Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) sole Pas candidate, Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan, scored an unexpected win in the Karambunai seat, drawing attention across Sabah’s political scene.
The Deputy PN Sabah chief edged out Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) candidate Arshad Idris, Warisan’s Ahmad Jais Otong, and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Yaakubah Khan, the former assemblyman for the constituency.
While the result surprised many, it did not come as a shock to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Communication Department associate professor Dr Lee Kuok Tiung, who has long followed Aliakbar’s political career.
“Aliakbar has been working hard on the ground for the past five years with a clear goal to win,” Lee said, attributing the victory to the candidate’s personal qualities.
“His win was due to his character. Even non-Muslims can accept him,” he said.
Lee noted that a brief controversy involving a Pas politician’s comment about “offering Gardenia bread” to voters in Sabah had temporarily dented Aliakbar’s support.
“Only after that issue did some turn against him. But he managed to overcome it,” he said, adding that Aliakbar’s humility and refusal to speak ill of others helped him regain voters’ trust.
An academician by profession, Aliakbar has also mentored many young leaders in Sabah, Lee said, describing him as a respected figure with a strong local presence.
“For most Sabahans, Pas carries an extremist image. But he is different from Pas leaders in Peninsular Malaysia. He has Sabahan characteristics,” Lee said.
“He has a Sabahan approach and can mix with others regardless of race or religion,” he added. – NST
