Pakatan Harapan (PH) is prepared to contest all 36 state seats in Negri Sembilan following Barisan Nasional’s decision to field candidates in all constituencies in the upcoming Johor state election.
Pakatan deputy chairman and Democratic Action Party secretary-general Anthony Loke raised the proposal in response to Johor Barisan Nasional’s announcement that it would contest all 56 seats in the state polls.
“I want to propose to the Pakatan chairman, Anwar Ibrahim, that since Johor wants to contest all 56 seats, we will contest all 36 seats in Negri Sembilan,” he said during his speech at the Pakatan Convention here on Sunday.
PH responds to Johor BN strategy
Loke also suggested that if Johor proceeds with dissolving its state assembly, Negri Sembilan should follow immediately after.
“If Johor dissolves its state assembly, then Negri Sembilan should dissolve the next day,” he said.
On Saturday, Johor Menteri Besar and Johor Barisan chairman Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced that BN would contest all 56 seats in the next Johor election.
The announcement fuelled speculation that BN may choose to contest the election independently without cooperating with PH at the state level.
Speculation grows over Johor snap polls
Political speculation has intensified in recent weeks over the possibility of Johor holding snap elections as early as October.
The speculation followed heightened political activity during Umno’s 80th anniversary celebrations held at Istana Besar on May 11.
Following the event, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Johor state election would only be held after obtaining the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim.
The current Johor state assembly term is scheduled to expire automatically on April 21, 2027.
In the 2022 Johor state election, BN won 40 out of 56 seats, while PH secured 12 seats. Perikatan Nasional won three seats and Muda captured one seat.
Of BN’s 40 seats, Umno holds 33, MCA four and MIC three.
Negri Sembilan political balance remains competitive
Negri Sembilan currently has 36 state seats.
During the 2023 state election, PH won 17 seats while BN secured 14 seats. Perikatan Nasional won five seats.
PH and BN later formed the state government together after controlling a combined total of 31 seats in the assembly.
