The party leader, who did not wish to be named, said PKR would be able to deliver between four and five seats. PKR is contesting 12 seats.

The source said the party was confident of winning the Sindumin seat, in which Yamani Hafez Musa, son of Sabah governor Musa Aman, is involved in a 10-cornered fight.

The other seats that PKR feels it can win are Bandau (Zaidi Jatil), Api-Api (Thonny Chee) and Melalap (Jamawi Jaafar)

“We feel that our candidate Awang Husaini Sahari will have a 50% chance of winning the Petagas seat, given the uncertainties of multi-cornered contests,” the source told FMT. Petagas will also witness a 10-cornered fight.

The insider also warned that voter turnout, expected to dip to about 60% given the poor weather forecast in Sabah, could significantly affect outcomes.

Under such conditions, “weak candidates” (those who lack the financial resources or grassroots network to mobilise voters) are likely to be at a disadvantage.

“A low turnout may well favour established names or those with deeper pockets to get their supporters out to the polls,” the source said.

Earlier today, Ilham Centre, a think tank, said there was an observable wind of change among Chinese voters in seats such as Likas, Inanam, Luyang, Kapayan and Api-Api, all of which were previously held by PH.

Sabahans disappointment with the ruling coalition over the economy, cost of living, and corruption, had eroded voter support, shown by a less enthusiastic reception for PH campaign events in city areas compared with previous state elections.

“If this wave of protest grows, PKR may lose Inanam and Api-Api while DAP’s Likas, Luyang and Kapayan seats will hang by a thread,” it said, adding that PH only had four comfortable seats at the moment.