As Negeri Sembilan votes, all eyes on whether Anwar’s PH can retain state
As Negeri Sembilan votes, all eyes on whether Anwar’s PH can retain state
Interest is centred on whether Pakatan Harapan can rebound from a dismal performance in the Jul 11 Johor state election and fend off a challenge from a partner teaming up with a rival.
SEREMBAN/SINGAPORE: Nearly 900,000 eligible voters in Negeri Sembilan are headed to the ballot boxes on Saturday (Aug 1) in a state election widely seen as a high-stakes test for Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibahim and his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
All eyes will be on whether PH can rebound from a dismal performance in the Jul 11 Johor polls, retain a state where it is the incumbent, and fend off a challenge from a partner teaming up with a rival.
Polling kicked off at 8am on Saturday at 401 polling stations across the state.
PH is contesting all 36 seats in the Negeri Sembilan state legislative assembly.
Its partner at the federal level, Barisan Nasional (BN), has fielded candidates in 25 of those seats in an alliance with opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), which is contesting the remaining 11 seats.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), a PN member, is contesting in the election on its own and fielding 24 candidates, setting up contests against its coalition partners amid rifts within the opposition bloc.
The PN-BN pact is widely seen as the clearest sign yet that the federal unity government may not last until the next general election, due by February 2028, even as BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi insists it will stick with Anwar’s unity government until the current federal parliament’s term ends.
Analysts have said after losing ground in the Johor state election, another PH setback in Negeri Sembilan will pile pressure on Anwar to dissolve the federal parliament, paving the way for a snap general election.
Retaining control of Negeri Sembilan would hand Anwar an equaliser, showing he can campaign effectively in a state led by a chief minister from his own party.
It will not be an easy task, experts have said.
The BN-PN pact is likely to consolidate the crucial Malay vote at the expense of PH, observers said, giving them an edge in Negeri Sembilan.
The United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), BN’s lynchpin party, won 14 seats in the 2023 state polls while PH secured 17 and PN won five.
Before the state assembly was dissolved, Negeri Sembilan was governed by a PH-BN administration, replicating a power-sharing model of the federal unity government.
To form the government in Negeri Sembilan, 19 seats are needed.
WHAT VOTERS SAY
Voters could be seen lining up at schools in Seremban as early as 8am, eager to cast their ballots as polling stations officially opened.
At the Kolej Mara Seremban polling station, electrical technician Arif Safwan, 24,told CNA he wanted to see change and more development in the state, although he declined to say who he voted for.
“We will be in trouble if we pick the wrong candidate. This vote is for our future,” said Arif.
He was voting in the Ampangan constituency which sees a three-cornered fight between Rafie Abd Malek of PN, Muhammad Nazri Kassim of PH, and Noor’azah Harun of Bersatu.
Another Ampangan voter R. Jeyhraj, 44, said his main concern was the soaring cost of living, which has made it increasingly difficult for working-class families to make ends meet.
The welder added that voting is important, and that he changed his vote this time compared to the previous election, though he declined to specify who he supported this time round.
“Next time, who knows? We can only see the candidates’ faces when it’s election season, after that they disappear. This is regardless of which party or coalition they are part of,” said Jehyraj, who was with his 23-year-old son who was voting for the first time.
At the Institut Perguruan Raja Melewar Sikamat voting centre, where caretaker chief minister Aminuddin Harun was casting his vote, some voters told CNA that they were hoping that the current government would continue administering the state.
Aminuddin, who is vice-president of Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, had held the Sikamat seat for four terms, but in this election, he will be contesting the Linggi seat, which is an UMNO stronghold.
Finance executive, Muhammad Arif Zulkifli, 27, told CNA that he hoped for Aminuddin to continue the good work he had done in the state.
“He is someone who is easy to reach and contact, so we hope that continues. Also, if I may add, having more religious talks at the local mosques would be great. I live in this area and would love to see more of these programmes,” he said.
The Sikamat state seat is seeing a three-cornered fight between Bersatu’s Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, Nor Azman Mohamad of PH, and Razali Abu Samah of PN.
Insurance executive Chloe Chai, 36, who returned to vote from Singapore, hoped that the state government would realise its proposed plan to upgrade the train station in Seremban, similar to the Kuala Lumpur central station.
“It would be easier for me to commute back to Seremban soon if this really happens. Because currently, the Seremban train station is quite old,” she said.
Similarly, her brother Chai Chung Cheen, 46, said while there was more development in the state, he was hoping for an airport to be built.
“Since other states have one, why can’t we have one too,” said the doctor.
Account executive Muhammad Ni’mash Shakir, 30, similarly hoped for more progress in terms of infrastructure.
“Because other states and cities have moved forward and progressed, why can’t we have the same? We want the same too,” he said.
WHEN WILL RESULTS BE OUT?
Early voting took place on Tuesday, with the turnout of over 91 per cent exceeding the target set by the Election Commission (EC).
A total of 14,995 early voters, consisting of military and police personnel as well as their spouses, cast their ballots at 38 polling centres statewide, news agency Bernama reported.
Most voters will however cast their ballots on Saturday between 8am and 6pm.
The EC is t