KUCHING: The Negeri Sembilan State Election is shaping up to be a highly competitive contest, with Barisan Nasional (BN), Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) vying for control of the 36-seat State Legislative Assembly.
Political sociology professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof. Dr Novel Lyndon, said BN appeared to hold a slight advantage based on its established grassroots machinery and strength in several traditional constituencies.
Speaking to Sarawak Tribune from Linggi, Negeri Sembilan, he said PH remained a formidable challenger, particularly in urban and mixed constituencies, while PN could make significant inroads in Malay-majority areas.
“Overall, the Negeri Sembilan State Election is expected to be highly competitive, with the main contests involving PH, BN and PN.
“Based on recent political trends and available analyses, BN appears to have a slight advantage due to its strong grassroots machinery and support in several traditional constituencies.”
Novel said sentiment surrounding Malay unity could also emerge as an important factor in determining the outcome, particularly in closely fought constituencies.
After observing the political developments in the state, he said BN and PN had a credible chance of securing enough seats to form the next state government if their respective support bases translated effectively into victories.
He pointed to BN’s established grassroots network and traditional strength, together with PN’s support in many Malay-majority areas, as factors that could potentially provide the numbers required to secure a simple majority.
However, he stressed that the outcome remained uncertain as many constituencies were expected to see close contests.
“Factors such as voter turnout, local candidate appeal, and last-minute shifts among undecided voters could determine whether BN and PN are able to form the next state government.”
The election will see PH contesting all 36 seats, followed by BN with 25, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) with 24 and PN with 11.
The contest also features four Independent candidates, while Barisan Jamaah Islamiah Semalaysia (Berjasa), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (ASLI) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) are each fielding one candidate.
With 103 candidates contesting the August 1 state election, the multi-cornered nature of several seats could make vote-splitting a decisive factor, particularly in closely matched constituencies.
