He said BN respected the outcome of the election. “The votes show BN still has a firm base of support and remains one of the key blocs in Sabah’s political map,” he said.

BN has won 10 seats in the state assembly, according to unofficial results, and its block of seats places it in a position to determine which party takes power.

Sabah’s former ruling coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, has 30 seats, seven short of a simple majority, but is likely to have the support of five independent candidates. The next biggest party is Warisan, which is poised to win 21 seats.

With no single party able to command a majority on its own, Zahid called on all Sabahans to stay calm and respect the democratic process while the parties hold post-election talks.

“Keep the peace, unity and respect for the process. Sabah’s path ahead needs commitment from all sides, and BN will play a constructive role in helping the state move towards growth and prosperity,” he said.

The previous Sabah government was led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah with support from Pakatan Harapan and BN, after several Sabah assemblymen from Umno chose to back Hajiji during a brief split in 2023.

PH, which had an election pact with GRS, is likely to win only one seat. The remaining seats are likely to be shared between Upko (3), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (2), Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (1) and Perikatan Nasional (1).

The Sabah state assembly has 73 elected members and six nominated members appointed by the state government.