Ahead of the six state elections, PH and BN will be working together under a pact of cooperation, similar to its alliance at the federal level.
Ikmal, who has lived in Rembau, Negeri Sembilan all his life, told CNA: “I think it feels especially weird for Negeri Sembilan because PH and BN have been enemies for so long here. The rivalry is strong. Voters and communities are divided across the two sides.”
“The two are also ideologically very different. It will be interesting to see how they work together,” said the 42-year-old business owner.
While most stakeholders in Negeri Sembilan expect the pact of PH-BN to retain control of Negeri Sembilan at the polls, many anticipate that the campaign will be a stern test on whether the two coalitions are able to work together effectively.
Meanwhile, the Perikatan Nasional coalition will also be looking to gain some ground in Negeri Sembilan, especially in areas where Malay Muslim voters form the large majority.
SEAT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN PH, BN A POSSIBLE POINT OF CONTENTION?
One area that could potentially be a point of contention between PH and BN in Negeri Sembilan is the seat distributions between the two coalitions ahead of the state polls.
BN Negeri Sembilan chief Jalaluddin Alias has been reported by local media as saying that the coalition is asking for PH to give up two incumbent seats.
This is so that BN and PH would head into the state polls challenging 18 seats each.
There are 36 seats in total in the Negeri Sembilan state assembly, with PH currently holding 20 and BN the remaining 16. The Negeri Sembilan state assembly will be dissolved on Jul 1.
“As I told my friends in Harapan, this is the time for us to make sacrifices. Give and take in the spirit of cooperation because we want our machinery to be motivated to the maximum for both Harapan and BN,” Jalaluddin was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.
In a recent interview with The Star, the incumbent chief minister for Negeri Sembilan Aminuddin Harun reportedly said that PH’s “only” request was that status quo be maintained and that both coalitions be allowed to defend the seats they won in the last state polls in 2018.
However, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president also noted that BN was asking for two state assembly seats to be allocated to them. He said that the two seats, which have a high proportion of Malay voters, are currently held by Parti Amanah Nasional (Amanah), a PH component party.
Aminuddin did not specify what the two seats were. Amanah politicians are the incumbent in three state seats – Lenggeng, Paroi and Klawang.
“The Pakatan and Barisan Presidential Council will decide and we will all abide by the decisions,” Aminuddin reportedly said.
BN politician Zaifulbahri Idris, a three-term state assemblyman for the Chembong seat, told CNA that Jalaluddin’s request for BN and PH to contest 18 seats each is part of “the process of bargaining and negotiations”.