When ballots are counted: A call for stability, unity, common sense

By this Sunday morning, Sabahans will know who will lead the state — the final chapter of a fierce two-week campaign filled with emotion, competing narratives, and unprecedented political movement. But when the dust settles, one truth stands above everything else: the people have spoken. Sabahans have exercised their democratic right, and whatever the outcome, it must be received with dignity, maturity, and respect.

Elections are not only a test of candidates and parties. They are a test of us — our patience, our resilience, and our ability to accept results that may not reflect our personal choices. That is why the period after an election is just as crucial as the campaign itself. It determines whether democracy becomes a platform for development and unity — or a battleground for never-ending disputes.

As Sabah enters this post-polling moment, it is time to close the gap and allow common sense to prevail. Respecting the voice of the people is fundamental. No democracy can function when losers refuse to accept defeat or when winners behave with arrogance. The true strength of a political culture lies not in how loudly candidates campaign, but in how gracefully society accepts the final count.

Sabah has endured enough instability over the decades — party hopping, sudden collapses of governments, overnight alliances, and shifting loyalties. These were not mere political dramas; they created uncertainty for investors, delayed development, and eroded public trust.

This election must mark a turning point. Whoever forms the government — whether a single coalition or a broad-based alliance — must recognize that the rakyat is the ultimate employer, and elected representatives are merely temporary trustees. At the same time, the rakyat must understand that election results reflect collective choices, not personal victories or defeats.

Now that Sabahans have spoken, leaders must listen. The real work begins: governing beyond slogans. Campaign speeches are loud; governance is quiet. And unlike ceramahs filled with emotion, governing demands discipline, competence, and fairness.

In logistics, we often say that when one link is weak, the entire chain suffers. The same applies to Sabah: we must strengthen every link of our society — not only the politically convenient ones. This election was emotional. Labels such as pengkhianat, proxy, extremist, and separatist were thrown around freely.

Families argued, friendships were strained, and communities found themselves divided along party lines.

Yet now that the results are in, we are reminded of a simple truth: none of these labels will reduce food prices, fix our roads, expand our port capacity, or empower our youth.

It is time to heal … Sabah has always been a tapestry of cultures — Kadazan Dusun, Rungus, Bajau, Murut, Bruneian, Chinese, Indian, Bugis, Timorese, and many more. This extraordinary diversity has never been our weakness; it is precisely why Sabah remains one of Malaysia’s most peaceful and harmonious states.

We cannot allow political competition to tear apart the fabric that makes us who we are.

Let us return Sabah to what it has always been — a land where Muslims and Christians share the same wedding tables, where a Dusun neighbor borrows sugar from a Chinese family, where urbanites and villagers greet one another like kin. Politics is temporary, but neighborliness is permanent. It is the quiet strength that has held Sabah together for generations, and it is the foundation upon which our future must be rebuilt.

To the political leaders — whichever coalition is entrusted with forming the next government — remember this clearly: the mandate you receive is not a trophy to be displayed, but a responsibility to be honored.

Sabahans expect maturity, not maneuvers. They expect service, not slogans. They expect you to serve a full term with integrity, to govern for the people rather than for personal ambitions. Lead with humility, act with courage, and remember whom you serve: the people of Sabah. Reforms cannot wait. Infrastructure cannot wait. MA63 cannot wait. The next five years will determine whether Sabah rises with purpose or continues to stumble through cycles of uncertainty. History will not measure you by how many ceramahs you deliver or how loud your rhetoric sounds, but by the problems you solve and the progress you make tangible. Lead wisely. Lead honestly. Lead for Sabah.

To my fellow Sabahans … we must now rebuild trust, reaffirm unity, and refocus our energy on progress.

Let us stop forwarding rumors. Stop demonizing neighbors for their political choices. Stop believing that only our preferred party loves Sabah. The truth is simple: all of us love Sabah, and all of us want a better future. Democracy flourishes when citizens remain informed, calm, and grounded. As logistics teaches us, clarity reduces friction, discipline reduces cost, and cooperation increases efficiency. These same principles guide healthy governance and a resilient society.

Sabah’s political journey is far from over, but today, as the ballots settle, we are reminded that our future will not be shaped by anger or noise. It will be shaped by common sense, unity, and steady leadership.

Elections may decide who governs, but we determine how we move forward as a community.