No Ethnic Chinese In Sabah Cabinet, DAP Declines All Government Positions

DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke said the decision was made during an emergency Central Executive Committee meeting on Sunday night, though party leaders will continue serving the people.

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Sabah’s state Cabinet will have no ethnic Chinese representation after DAP Sabah announced it will not accept any positions in the state government, including appointed state assembly seats.

The decision means Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s administration will lack Chinese representation at the Cabinet level, despite his pre-election promise to appoint an ethnic Chinese deputy chief minister if his coalition returned to power.

According to DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke, DAP Sabah leaders will continue to actively serve the people of Sabah and work to restore public confidence, but will not take up any official government roles.

Loke said DAP held an emergency Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Sunday night to discuss the outcome of the 17th Sabah state election.

“DAP Sabah will not take any positions in the Sabah state government, including appointed state assembly (ADUN) seats,” Loke said in a statement posted on social media.

The decision comes after DAP’s dismal performance in the Sabah election, where the party contested 11 seats but failed to win any, with several candidates losing their deposits.

Chinese Representation Question Remains

The lack of Chinese representation in the Cabinet has raised questions about Hajiji’s September pledge to appoint an ethnic Chinese elected representative as deputy chief minister if Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) returned to power.

The only ethnic Chinese assemblyman in the GRS coalition is Tanjong Kapor’s Datuk Ben Chong Chen Bin from Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), who narrowly retained his seat with a 359-vote majority but holds no major leadership roles.

The other winning ethnic Chinese candidates are with the rival Parti Warisan, which is not part of the state government.

Hajiji was sworn in on Monday morning (1 November), but the full composition of his Cabinet remains unclear, with speculation continuing over who will fill the three deputy chief minister positions and other key portfolios.

Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Sabah (KDM) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) have openly declared their support for Hajiji.

At the same time, Parti Kesejahteraan Tanah Airku (SEKATA) and five independents have yet to make public statements about their positions.

Political Stability Key to Sabah’s Development

Barisan Nasional (BN) has submitted a list of candidates for consideration as ministers and deputy ministers in Sabah’s new state Cabinet, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed.

He said the state government had requested that supporting parties submit their respective candidates for consideration of appointment, adding that he had contacted Hajiji and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to stabilise Sabah’s politics.

For the Sabah state election, the formation of the government will be done as soon as possible. We appreciate the good cooperation of various parties besides GRS (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah).

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the priority now is to ensure Sabah’s political stability so that state development can continue, including plans for electricity supply, water, and road infrastructure.

What’s important is that the people’s welfare and the aspirations of Sabah Maju Jaya can be fully implemented.

Zahid added that BN is ready to cooperate with like-minded parties to form the new government.

However, BN’s inclusion in the Sabah state government has drawn criticism from some members of the public, who questioned why the coalition is being rewarded with Cabinet positions despite winning only six seats in the state election.

Aku tak faham Sabah ni. Ketika gelombang rakyatnya menolak parti-parti dari semenanjung. KM bergabung pula dengan PH & BN. Siap dapat jawatan dalam kabinet. Jangan nanti bergolak lagi!. https://t.co/wHyZgAVtJn
— fahd (@nfasask) December 1, 2025