1981 Sabah state election
{{Infobox election
| country = Sabah
| flag_year = 1963-1982
| flag_image = Flag of Sabah (1963-1982).svg
| type = legislative
| previous_election = 1976 Sabah state election
| previous_year = 1976
| previous_mps = List of Malaysian State Assembly Representatives (1974-78)#Sabah
| next_election = 1985 Sabah state election
| next_year = 1985
| elected_mps = List of Malaysian State Assembly Representatives (1978-82)#Sabah
| seats_for_election = All 48 seats in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly
| majority_seats = 25
| election_date = 23–28 March 1981
| image_size = 130x130px
| image1 = 3x4.svg
| leader1 = Harris Salleh
| leader_since1 = 1976
| leaders_seat1 = Tenom
| party1 = BERJAYA
| alliance1 = Barisan Nasional (federal)
| colour1 = 000000
| last_election1 = 28 seats
| seats_needed1 =
| seat_change1 = {{increase}}16
| seats1 = 44
| popular_vote1 = 143557
| percentage1 = 61.36%
| image2 = Tun mohd said keruak-tyt7.png
| leader2 = Said Keruak
| leader_since2 = 1978
| leaders_seat2 = Usukan
| party2 = USNO
| alliance2 = Barisan Nasional (federal)
Barisan Sabah (state)
| colour2 = 005500
| last_election2 = 20 seats
| seats_needed2 =
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}17
| seats2 = 3
| popular_vote2 = 47069
| percentage2 = 20.12%
| image3 = 3x4.svg
| leader3 = Steven Chan Tze Hiang{{cite news |title=Tunku: Do not spoilt votes |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uwdfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4Y0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6892%2C2097466 |access-date=31 December 2022 |date=11 March 1981 |page=11}}
| leaders_seat3 = Bandar Tawau
| party3 = Sabah Chinese Consolidated Party
| alliance3 = Barisan Sabah (state)
| colour3 =
| last_election3 = –
| seats_needed3 = 25
| seat_change3 = New
| seats3 = 1
| popular_vote3 = 14511
| percentage3 = 6.20%
| title = Chief Minister
| before_election = Harris Salleh
| before_party = Barisan Nasional, (BERJAYA)
| after_election = Harris Salleh
| after_party = Barisan Nasional, (BERJAYA)
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
}}
The 1981 Sabah state election was held between Monday, 23 March and Saturday, 28 March 1981. This was the fourth state election to take place. The Sabah State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on 21 February 1981, 2 months earlier than the expiry of the Assembly term on 26 April 1981. Candidates nomination took place on 7 March 1981. Laporan Pilihan Raya Umum Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah, Tahun 1981, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya{{cite news |title=Who's where for the five-day polls |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uAdfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4Y0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6790%2C1458066 |access-date=31 December 2022 |date=8 March 1981 |page=9}}
In the election, BERJAYA Party led by Harris Salleh, an ally of federal government party Barisan Nasional (BN), won the election with a supermajority of 44 seats out of 48, and thus continued its governance of the state won since the last election on 1976.{{cite news |title=It's a knock-out by Berjaya |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=3wLP7v6BnpwC&dat=19810329&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=31 December 2022 |date=29 March 1981 |page=1}} USNO, another component party of BN but opposition to BERJAYA on state level, created a coalition, Barisan Sabah, with PASOK and SCCP to fight BERJAYA. However the result were disastrous to the new coalition as they only won 4 seats; USNO reduced from 20 to 3 seats, SCCP winning one seat and PASOK none.
Results
{{Election results
|party1=Sabah People's United Front|votes1=143557|seats1=44|sc1=+16
|party2=United Sabah National Organisation|votes2=47069|seats2=3|sc2=–17
|party3=Sabah Chinese Consolidated Party|votes3=14511|seats3=1|sc3=New
|party4=United Pasok Nunukragang National Organisation|votes4=17250|seats4=0|sc4=New
|party5=Parti Perhimpunan Sosial Bersatu|votes5= 1984|seats5=0|sc5=New
|party6=Democratic Action Party|votes6=1673|seats6=0|sc6=New
|party7=United Sabah People's Organisation|votes7= 20|seats7=0|sc7=New
|party8=SEDAR|votes8=56|seats8=0|sc8=New
|party9=Independents|votes9=7853|seats9=0|sc9=0
|invalid=4295
|total_sc=0
|electorate=314974
|source=[https://www.oocities.org/hualian_studentclub/pilihanraya/pilihanraya_umum_sabah_1981.htm HLSC]
Tindak Malaysia Github https://github.com/TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS/blob/main/1981-SABAH-STATE-ELECTIONS/1981_SABAH_DUN_RESULTS.csv
}}
Aftermath
{{See also|1985 Sabah state election}}
Harris were sworn in as Chief Minister for his second term, along with sworn in of his cabinet minister, on 30 March.{{cite web |last1=Omar |first1=Amin |title=We'll follow Hussein's advice - Harris |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zQdfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4Y0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6652%2C6435696 |website=news.google.com |publisher=New Straits Times |access-date=8 July 2024 |date=31 March 1981}}
After USNO and Barisan Sabah's comprehensive defeat in the election, Said Keruak stepped down as USNO leader,{{cite news |title=Usno chief to step down |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19810411-1.2.77.9 |access-date=13 January 2023 |work=The Straits Times |agency=New Straits Times |publisher=eresources.nlb.gov.sg |date=11 April 1981 |page=17}} replaced by Mustapha Harun, the former USNO leader and former Chief Minister.{{cite web |author1=Datuk Teddy Chin |title=The rise, fall and rise again of Usno |url=https://www.dailyexpress.com.my/read/4797/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-usno/ |website=www.dailyexpress.com.my |publisher=Daily Express (Malaysia) |access-date=1 January 2023 |date=3 July 2022}} USNO would later expelled from BN in 1984, due to Mustapha's action against BN, one of which opposing the move to make Labuan a Federal Territory.{{cite news |author1=Bernama |title=Usno expelled from National Front |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19840416-1.2.33.1 |access-date=21 January 2023 |work=The Straits Times |publisher=eresources.nlb.gov.sg |date=16 April 1984 |page=16}}
Internal clashes within BERJAYA led to Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the party's vice-president, exiting BERJAYA with several of the party assemblymen and formed Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).{{cite web|date=February 2011|author=Arnold Puyok |url=https://www.irasec.com/IMG/UserFiles/Files/04_Publications/Notes/Political_Development_in_Sabah-1985_2010.pdf|title=Political Development in Sabah, 1985-2010. Challenges in Malaysian Federalism and Ethnic Politics|website=irasec.com|access-date=9 April 2023|format=Discussion paper}} Pairin also won a December 1984 by-election, as an independent, in the Tambunan seat he had to vacate due to his resignation from BERJAYA and Sabah Assembly.{{cite news |title=Kitingan beats Berjaya man in Tambunan by-election |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-q1UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=548DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4740%2C6441108 |access-date=5 January 2023 |date=31 December 1984 |page=1}} These events led to Harris calling a snap election in March 1985, with the election held on 20–21 April 1985. PBS succeeded in toppling the BERJAYA government, winning 25 seats and setting in motion the 1985-1986 constitutional crisis in Sabah.