COMMENT | I stand in total agreement with two Sabah academics when they advised certain federal ministers not to waste their time campaigning for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the land below the wind.

Why? Because “nobody cares” about their presence and they have zero influence in Sabah, they explained.

The duo, Universiti Teknologi Mara Sabah lecturer Rahezzal Shah Abdul Karim and Lee Kuok Tiung of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, are known political analysts, and being locals, I believe they know what they are talking about.

I do not intend to sound like a Borneo parochial but let’s give it to their better judgment because being Sabahans, the two academics should understand local sentiments better.

In the same fashion, I would not dare stake a claim that I know and understand better how the people of Kelantan and Terengganu, for example, perceive politics. They should know better.

Commenting on the recent visits by federal ministers Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin to Sabah, Rahezzal said both former PKR leaders did not make an impact, nor did their visit give an advantage to any party.

Neither Azmin nor Zuraida were big names in Sabah and if their intention was to garner votes, it would not work, Rahezzal was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.

“We know he (Azmin) came to Sabah before to campaign for Pakatan Harapan in the Kimanis by-election, but he didn’t draw the crowd,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lee expressed his concern that in the run-up to the state election, federal politics will...