UMNO Sabah Hails By-Election Victories in Kinabatangan and Lamag

25 January 2026

KINABATANGAN: UMNO Sabah has expressed its appreciation to voters in the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election and the Lamag State Legislative Assembly (DUN) by-election for continuing to place their confidence in Barisan Nasional.

In a statement issued today, UMNO Sabah Liaison Committee Chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the strong support for Barisan Nasional candidates Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar in Kinabatangan and Mohd Ismail Ayob in Lamag reflected the effectiveness of strategic political cooperation in securing broad public support.

He said the victories demonstrated that Barisan Nasional’s collaboration with local parties had helped to form a stable Sabah State Government, despite opposition claims portraying the coalition as Peninsular-based. This stability, he added, had contributed to increased public confidence in Barisan Nasional.

According to Jafry, the by-election results were significant not only because Barisan Nasional successfully retained both seats, but also because they served as a clear indication that voter support in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency and the Lamag DUN remains strong.

He said UMNO Sabah, as a key component of Barisan Nasional in the state, would ensure that both elected representatives entrusted with the people’s mandate carry out their responsibilities effectively and in the best interests of their respective constituencies.

Jafry also expressed appreciation to the Deputy Prime Minister and President of UMNO Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; the Chief Minister of Sabah and Chairman of Parti Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor; as well as the leadership and grassroots machinery of UMNO and Barisan Nasional Sabah. He further acknowledged the strong support of the GRS machinery and all component parties of the Sabah Unity Government, including Pakatan Harapan (PH) and UPKO, for their role in contributing to the victories.

He added that the close cooperation established within the Sabah Unity Government would continue to be fully utilised to safeguard the interests of the people and to ensure that development programmes in the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency and the Lamag DUN are implemented effectively and on a sustained basis.