COMMENT | Tomorrow, Sabah goes to the polls in what will be remembered as the first state election where the battle lines are unmistakably clear: Sabah-based parties versus Malayan parties.

Gone are the days when the distinction could be blurred with clever branding, joint logos, or promises of “one big happy Malaysian family”. This time, the voter can see exactly who answers to Kota Kinabalu and who still takes instructions from Putrajaya or the party warlords in Kuala Lumpur. The masks are off.

This clarity did not appear overnight. It is the direct consequence of the “40 percent revenue verdict” delivered by the Federal Court in 2023 and the federal government’s immediate decision to appeal it (although they deny it).

For decades, Sabahans were told that the...