Youth Bloc and Grey Wave Could Shape Sabah’s 17th General Election

The coming Sabah state election is shaping up to be a generational contest — one between the youth bloc and the grey wave.

According to the latest Election Commission (EC) data updated in August 2025, nearly one in three voters in Sabah are under the age of 30. Out of 1,784,843 registered voters statewide, a total of 533,929 are aged between 18 and 29.

The Undi18 Generation Steps In

This election will be the first where Sabahan youth aged 18 to 20 can cast their votes, thanks to the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2019, which officially lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The law, gazetted on September 10, 2019, made way for what’s now commonly known as the Undi18 movement.

Within this young cohort, 126,979 voters fall in the 18–20 age range — many of whom will be voting for the first time. The highest concentrations of these young voters are found in Sungai Sibuga (3,436), Bugaya (3,522), Inanam (3,251), Karambunai (3,423), and Kapayan (3,079).

The Rise of the Grey Wave

While the youth bloc brings fresh energy to the ballot, Sabah’s older generation remains a powerful force. EC data shows that 511,642 voters aged 50 and above make up roughly 29 per cent of the electorate — almost matching the youth segment’s share.

Among them, about 3 per cent are aged above 90, underscoring the state’s ageing voter base.

The constituencies with the highest number of grey voters include Sri Tanjong (14,103), Luyang (13,642), Inanam (12,637), Kapayan (12,258), and Elopura (11,523).

Where the Votes Are Concentrated

The upcoming Sabah election on November 29 will see large voter concentrations in several key constituencies. On the west coast, Kapayan (49,597) and Inanam (45,525) lead the list, while on the east coast, Sri Tanjong (37,327), Bugaya (36,569), Apas (32,241), and Silam (28,261) are among the largest.

In contrast, Banggi, under the Kudat parliamentary seat, has just 9,484 voters — making it the smallest electorate among Sabah’s 73 state constituencies.

A Contest of Generations

With both young and older voters holding nearly equal shares of the electoral pie, Sabah’s 17th state election could see a fascinating interplay between first-time voters hungry for change and seasoned voters seeking continuity.

Whichever way the pendulum swings, one thing is clear — Sabah’s political future lies in the hands of two generations whose choices will define the next chapter of the state’s story.