BN Returns To Power In N. Sembilan After Eight Years, With PN Support

By Nursyabiha Sukri

SEREMBAN, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- After eight years, Barisan Nasional (BN) has returned to power in Negeri Sembilan by securing a two-thirds majority win in cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the state election on Saturday.

The Election Commission (EC) announced that BN won 18 seats while PN secured seven, enabling the two coalitions to jointly govern Negeri Sembilan for the next five years.

The BN-PN cooperation strategy paid off, with UMNO winning all 16 seats it contested, followed by MCA with two seats. Within PN, PAS won four seats while Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan) secured three.

BN deputy chairman and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who has held the Rantau seat since 2004, recorded a convincing victory over Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Dr Azizul Hakim Mahdi with a majority of 12,018 votes.

BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the new state government would be based on the understanding between BN and PN, as well as the mandate given by the people to improve public well-being and the state's prosperity.

He said every pledge contained in the manifestos of both coalitions would be fulfilled to deliver comprehensive benefits to the people and enhance the state's progress and competitiveness.

PH, which had previously led the Negeri Sembilan state government, contested all 36 state seats but won only 11 -- nine by DAP and two by PKR -- while Amanah failed to win any seat.

PH also suffered a major blow with the defeat of two prominent leaders -- Negeri Sembilan PH chairman and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and DAP secretary-general as well as Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman Anthony Loke.

Aminuddin, who is also PKR vice-president, was defeated in the Linggi seat, while Loke, who is also Transport Minister, failed to retain the Chennah seat, which he had held since 2013, losing to a local BN candidate.

Aminuddin, who is also the Port Dickson MP, said he had no regrets over his defeat in Linggi, describing it as part and parcel of politics.

He said that since the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly was dissolved, the final verdict had been left to the people to assess his performance as Menteri Besar based on his "report card" over eight years of leading the state government.

Bersatu, Parti Orang Asli Malaysia, Parti Sosialis Malaysia and Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia failed to win any of the seats they contested.

The Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on June 5 following a political crisis after 14 BN state assemblymen withdrew their support for Aminuddin's leadership.

For the latest updates on the state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/n9.

-- BERNAMA