Jasnih Daya

Summary

Datuk Jasnih bin Daya is the GAGASAN assemblyman for Pantai Dalit, Sabah, having held the seat since 2020 — first under BN and, following his defection during the 2023 Sabah political crisis, under GRS in 2025. He previously served as State Assistant Minister of Finance from 2020 to 2023 and is now a member of the ruling 17th Sabah State Legislative Assembly. He is defined politically by his loyalty to Chief Minister Hajiji Noor's GRS coalition and his advocacy for Sabah-centric policies, including reform of federal rice industry legislation.

Biography

Datuk Jasnih bin Daya (born 15 September 1974) is a Malaysian politician and the Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pantai Dalit, a seat he has held since September 2020 [1]. He first won the seat under the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket in the 2020 Sabah state election, polling 6,868 votes with a majority of 3,794 [2]. From October 2020 to January 2023, he served as the State Assistant Minister of Finance of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor [1]. During the 2023 Sabah political crisis, Jasnih was among the Sabah UMNO assemblymen who declared continued support for Hajiji Noor when BN withdrew from the GRS coalition, and he was subsequently sacked from UMNO for party-hopping [1]. He formally joined Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN) on 21 February 2023 and became the GAGASAN Divisional Chairperson for Pantai Dalit, Tuaran in the same year [1]. He contested the 2025 Sabah state election (17th Sabah general election, held 29 November 2025) under the GRS banner and retained the Pantai Dalit seat with 8,306 votes and a majority of 3,465, defeating six other candidates [3]. In the Sabah State Assembly, he has publicly advocated for a review of federal legislation governing Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) to better suit Sabah's rice industry needs [2]. No information on his educational background or pre-political career was found in publicly available allowlist sources at the time of drafting.

Known for

Jasnih Daya is known for his role in the 2023 Sabah political crisis, when he broke from UMNO to back Chief Minister Hajiji Noor's continued leadership, leading to his sacking from UMNO and subsequent defection to GAGASAN [1]. He has twice won the Pantai Dalit state seat — first under BN in 2020 and again under GRS in 2025 — making him one of the few politicians to retain the seat while switching parties [3]. He has also been a vocal advocate in the Sabah State Assembly on food security matters, specifically urging a review of the Bernas Act to strengthen Sabah's rice production capacity [2].

Political positions

Jasnih Daya has consistently aligned himself with the GRS-led state government under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, prioritising Sabah's political stability and the retention of a Sabah-centric governing coalition. His defection from UMNO in 2023 demonstrated a preference for state-level coalition governance over peninsula-based party loyalty. On economic policy, he has urged the federal government to review the Bernas Act to ensure it better serves Sabah's rice industry, and has called for Bernas to intensify its partnership with the Sabah state government in local rice production — reflecting a broader stance in favour of greater Sabah autonomy in managing its food security [2]. Following the 2025 election, Jasnih initially publicly opposed BN's inclusion in the new GRS-led state government, posting on social media "Out of honour for my family and supporters, no Barisan," before subsequently accepting the arrangement and pledging support for Hajiji's leadership [4][5].

Political career

1. September 2020Won the Pantai Dalit state seat for the first time under the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket in the 2020 Sabah state election, with 6,868 votes and a majority of 3,794.⛓
2. October 2020Appointed State Assistant Minister of Finance of Sabah in the GRS state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.⛓
3. January 2023During the 2023 Sabah political crisis, declared continued support for Chief Minister Hajiji Noor after UMNO Sabah leader Bung Moktar withdrew BN's backing from the GRS state government. Subsequently ceased his role as State Assistant Minister of Finance.⛓
4. February–April 2023Joined Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN) on 21 February 2023 after being sacked from UMNO for party-hopping. Later became GAGASAN Divisional Chairperson for Pantai Dalit, Tuaran.⛓
5. November 2023Urged the federal government in the Sabah State Assembly to review the Bernas Act and called on Bernas to intensify its partnership with the state government in local rice production.⛓
6. November 2025Retained the Pantai Dalit seat in the 17th Sabah state election under the GRS ticket with 8,306 votes and a majority of 3,465, defeating six other candidates including BN's Alfian Sambas.⛓
7. December 2025Initially publicly opposed BN's inclusion in the post-election GRS-led state government, before accepting the arrangement and pledging continued support for Hajiji Noor's leadership.⛓

Election history

• 2025Pantai DalitWon44.6%⛓
• 2020Pantai DalitWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs a GRS assemblyman, Jasnih Daya has pledged full support for Chief Minister Hajiji Noor's leadership and the GRS-led state government, including ultimately accepting BN's inclusion in the coalition after the 2025 election.⛓
• OppositionThe Star reported that Sabah BN chairman Bung Moktar Radin characterised Jasnih's 2023 defection as leaving the coalition "when the situation became difficult," and described the 2025 Pantai Dalit contest as BN's bid to reclaim a seat it considered originally its own.⛓
• VerifiedFactsJasnih Daya won Pantai Dalit in both 2020 (BN, 6,868 votes, majority 3,794) and 2025 (GRS, 8,306 votes, majority 3,465), confirming consistent electoral support in the constituency across two different party affiliations.⛓