1985 Ulu Padas by-election

Election in Malaysia 1985 Ulu Padas by-election Malaysia by-election no 1982 Malaysian general election 1982 1986 Malaysian general election 1986 Ulu Padas seat in the Dewan Rakyat 11-12 October 1985 PBS Kadoh Agundong PBS ADD8E6 7,196 59.32% BN Jinuin Jimin BN (BERJAYA) 4,934 40.68% Ulu Padas MP Elected Ulu Padas MP Harris Salleh BN (BERJAYA) Kadoh Agundong PBS The 1985 Ulu Padas by-election is a by-election for the Dewan Rakyat seat of Ulu Padas in Sabah, Malaysia that were held on 11 and 12 October 1985.Bersatu seat https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19851013-1.2.5 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 13 October 1985 1 subscription It was called following the resignation of the incumbent, Harris Salleh on 17 August 1985.Datuk Harris bows out of Berjaya https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850818-1.2.15.6 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 18 August 1985 7 subscription Background Harris Salleh were first elected in the Sabah Assembly in the 1967 Sabah state election, winning the Sipitang-Ulu Padas state seat as a United Sabah National Organization (USNO) candidate.Bill Campbell A jubilant Tun Mustapha says 'we've won' https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19670428-1.2.144 10 March 2025 The Straits Times eresources.nlb.gov.sg 28 April 1967 20 He later won the Labuan seat uncontested in the 1971 Sabah state election, although he lost the seat in a by-election in 1975 prompted by his exit from USNO. With several disgruntled USNO members who also exits the party, they formed Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA) and Harris would become its Deputy President. BERJAYA would win the 1976 Sabah state election from USNO months later, with Harris winning Tenom seat. Only months after the election, Harris would succeed Fuad Stephens as both party president and Chief Minister of Sabah, after the latter's demise with several state ministers in a helicopter crash on 6 June 1976. A year later in 1977, Harris would also win Keningau federal seat in a by-election. Harris later would contest and win the Ulu Padas federal seat in the 1978 Malaysian general election uncontested. Under Harris leadership, BERJAYA would win the 1981 Sabah state election with a bigger majority than the 1976 election. Harris would also successfully defend his Ulu Padas federal seat a year later in the 1982 Malaysian general election. However, in 1984, several disgruntled members of the party dissatisfied with Harris' leadership exits BERJAYA, including its vice-president Joseph Pairin Kitingan, and formed United Sabah Party/Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). The 1985 Sabah state election, called by Harris earlier than the scheduled 1986 expiry of the state assembly, saw PBS won the election by a slim margin of 25 seats, with BERJAYA reduced to only 7 state seats and Harris lost his Tenom seat.Berjaya swept out of power https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FbQTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x44DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5881%2C4848126 10 March 2025 New Straits Times New Straits Times Press 22 April 1985 1 After the disastrous defeat, Harris resigns as president of the party, with Mohammad Noor Mansoor, the party's secretary general, elected by the party to replace Harris as the new president of BERJAYA.Harris quits and Noor takes over as Berjaya President https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850715-1.2.51 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 15 July 1985 24 On 17 August 1985, Harris announced his resignation from BERJAYA and also his resignation of his federal seat in Ulu Padas. Harris said that his resignation were prompted by attacks on his leadership in the party after the comprehensive defeat of BERJAYA to PBS, 3 months earlier. Election Commission of Malaysia (SPR) has set 11 and 12 October 1985 as the election day, with 19 September 1985 as the nomination day.By-election candidate https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850906-1.2.25.7 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 6 September 1985 11 subscription Nomination and campaign Even before election and nomination date for the by-election had been announced, PBS, BERJAYA and USNO, the three main Sabah political parties have declared their interest in contesting the seat.Scramble starts for Dauk Harris' seat https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850828-1.2.20.3 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 28 August 1985 7 subscription But USNO pulled out at the last minute and threw their support behind BERJAYA, which is under federal coalition Barisan Nasional (BN).PBS faces National Front in by-election https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850923-1.2.19.1 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 23 September 1985 8 On the nomination day, it was confirmed PBS will face BERJAYA in a straight fight, with BERJAYA contesting under BN's logo and name. PBS nominated Kadoh Agundong, vice-president of PBS, the state housing and local government minister, and assemblyman for Tenom, which he won from Harris in the 1985 state election. BERJAYA meanwhile nominated newcomer Jinuin Jimin, an economics graduate from Australian National University.Berjaya's choice https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19850918-1.2.22.8.2 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 18 September 1985 7 subscription The campaign mainly focused on BERJAYA claiming PBS's failure to implement its promises after winning the state election, and PBS' rebuttal of the claim saying they need more time and funds to undo BERJAYA's mistake while they governed the state.Campaigning in Sabah hots up as poll nears https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19851006-1.2.19.1 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 6 October 1985 9 The campaigning period is also held at the backdrop of USNO's court case against PBS centered on legitimacy of Joseph Pairin Kitingan as the Chief Minister of Sabah. Observers saw the contest also between non-Muslim Bumiputera-led PBS against Muslim Bumiputera-led BERJAYA, with another Muslim Bumiputera-led USNO supporting BERJAYA's campaign.Kassim Ismail PBS expected to win seat from Front https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19851011-1.2.21.1 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 11 October 1985 9 They also predicted PBS would win in the non-Muslim Bumiputera majority seat. Timeline The key dates are listed below. DateEventIssue of the Writ of Election19 September 1985Nomination Day19 September - 10 October 1985Campaigning Period Early polling day for postal and overseas voters11-12 October 1985 Polling Day Results Malaysia 11–12 October 1985 yes Ulu Padas (federal constituency) Ulu Padas yes yes Upon the resignation of incumbent, Harris Salleh Parti Bersatu Sabah Kadoh Agundong 7,196 59.32 59.32 Barisan Nasional Jinuin Jimin 4,934 40.68 32.13 Total valid votes 12,130 100.00 Total rejected ballots Unreturned ballots Turnout Registered electors Majority 2,262 18.64 32.24 Parti Bersatu Sabah Barisan Nasional N/A Previous results Malaysia 1982 Ulu Padas (federal constituency) Ulu Padas yes yes Barisan Nasional Harris Salleh 8,252 72.81 72.81 Independent politician Halik Zaman 2,486 21.93 21.93 Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party Jamparon Laja 425 3.75 3.75 Independent politician Lawrence Liki 171 1.51 1.51 Total valid votes 11,334 100.00 Total rejected ballots 261 Unreturned ballots 0 Turnout 11,595 73.22 Registered electors 15,835 Majority 5,766 50.88 Barisan Nasional Aftermath After PBS win, party president and Sabah Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan said that all people should accept the mandate given to the party, a message that observer implied that Joseph shows PBS has more support from the Sabah people than BERJAYA or USNO in governing the state.Kassim Ismail Kitingan's hidden message https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19851014-1.2.11 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 14 October 1985 1 Observers also saw the win strengthen's PBS application to join BN, which PBS applied after their state election win but were yet approved by BN, with BERJAYA still in BN.Mahmud Nahar Azmi Kejayaan PBS di Ulu Padas: Satu kemenangan rakyat https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/beritaharian19851017-1.2.36.1 10 March 2025 Berita Harian (Singapura) 17 October 1985 4Kassim Ismail Bersatu consolidates its power in Sabah https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19851015-1.2.40.2 10 March 2025 The Straits Times 15 October 1985 17 Kadoh and Jinuin would contest the seat again in 1986 Malaysian general election, now renamed as Padas, with Kadoh won again. By then PBS would be contesting under BN's banner, their application to join the coalition finally approved after their win in the state snap election of 1986, and BERJAYA contesting on their own after exiting BN days before the general election. Notes References Malaysia Politics Category:By-elections in Malaysia Category:Elections in Sabah