PKR vice-president R Ramanan has brushed aside former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming’s projection that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will lose the Negeri Sembilan state election, saying one accurate prediction does not make someone an authority on future electoral outcomes.
Responding to Ong’s forecast, Ramanan likened the DAP leader to a fortune teller, arguing that making a correct prediction once should not be taken as proof of consistent accuracy.
Speaking to reporters after an event in Senawang, he said a fortune teller could give different 4D numbers to 1,000 people, and the one person who won would naturally believe the prediction was accurate.
He added that getting one forecast right did not make anyone “Nostradamus”, referring to the 16th-century French astrologer whose writings have often been interpreted as predicting major historical events.
Johor and Negeri Sembilan are different contests
Ramanan also rejected comparisons with the Johor state election, where Ong’s prediction closely reflected the final outcome.
He said PH had recognised that Johor was always going to be a difficult battleground, adding that the political landscape in Negeri Sembilan was different.
Ong had projected that the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional electoral pact would win between 23 and 25 of the 36 seats in the Aug 1 state election, enough to form the state government.
He also predicted that PH would secure only 11 to 13 seats, with PKR expected to win just one seat.
Three-way contest takes shape
PH is contesting all 36 state seats on its own in the election.
Under the BN-PN electoral arrangement, BN is contesting 25 seats while PAS-led PN is fielding candidates in the remaining 11 seats without overlapping.
Although Bersatu remains a component party of PN, it is separately contesting 24 seats under its own party logo.
