COMMENTARY, Sept. 19 -- Sabah political parties should be stepping up their pace for polling day next Saturday.

The incumbent Warisan Plus coalition led by Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal can count on 30 seats, edged out narrowly by the Opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) and its allies in Sabah with their collective 31 seats.

The headcount at present seems to be 16 seats for Warisan and for its allies, Upko (six), DAP (five), and PKR (four).

The Sabah Opposition led by Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has 21 and can count on PN allies Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Betsatu Sabah (PBS) for five seats each.

While PN led by Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin holds the reins in the peninsula, it...