Negeri Sembilan polls: BN-PN wins supermajority of 25 seats, as Anwar’s PH suffers another setback
Pakatan Harapan heavyweights such as Transport Minister Anthony Loke and caretaker chief minister Aminuddin Harun both lost their state assembly seats.
(From left) Parti Wawasan Negara's Hamzah Zainudin, Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and BN Rantau candidate Mohamad Hasan celebrate at the UMNO headquarters in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan on Aug 1, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)
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SEREMBAN: The Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalitions have claimed a decisive victory in the Negeri Sembilan state election on Saturday (Aug 1), saying they won 25 of the 36 seats to form a supermajority in the legislative state assembly.
The results, later confirmed by Malaysia’s Election Commission just before midnight in an electoral dashboard on its website, mark the latest setback for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact.
In claiming victory, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said his coalition has won 18 seats while electoral partner PN won seven seats.
PH, which had ruled Negeri Sembilan in a pact with BN prior to the state polls, won the remaining 11 seats.
A political party or coalition needs to win at least 19 seats to form the state government, while winning at least 24 seats results in a two-third supermajority in the legislative assembly which allows it to amend the state constitution.
“The (electoral understanding) between BN and PN in the Negeri Sembilan election will result in the formation of a stable government,” Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said at BN’s election war room at the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Negeri Sembilan headquarters in Seremban.
“I record my highest appreciation and thanks to all voters who … gave their trust to BN and PN to lead the Negeri Sembilan state administration,” he said at a press conference at about 9.10pm, with vote-counting officially still underway some three hours after polling closed at 6pm.
Zahid said the two coalitions would now have further discussions to finalise the formation of the state government before seeking an audience with the state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
"Our responsibility begins tonight … the message is clear. The people want stability that has been missed," said Zahid.
There were joyous scenes at the location, with thousands of BN supporters gathered to celebrate the victory, though the results were officially confirmed by the EC only some three hours later before midnight once all the constituencies were accounted for.
Also present were opposition leader Hamzah Zainuddin as well as Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan. The latter two are leaders in PN component parties, with Hamzah being president of Parti Wawasan Negara.
The results mark a dramatic reversal of the political landscape in the southwestern Malaysian state, driven by a powerful Malay-Muslim unity narrative put forth by BN and PN that severely eroded the support for PH.
In a Facebook post, Anwar congratulated BN on the mandate given by voters in Negeri Sembilan while expressing his appreciation to those who “have earnestly participated in the democratic practice that has just concluded”.
“PH has left a legacy of excellent administration based on good governance, stability and development that benefits the people. May this legacy continue to be strengthened for the progress of Negeri Sembilan.
“The federal government will continue to provide support and cooperation to the new Negeri Sembilan state government for the well-being and prosperity of the state and the people as a whole,” said Anwar.
PH heavyweights such as caretaker chief minister Aminuddin Harun and Transport Minister Anthony Loke both lost their state assembly seats.
Aminuddin lost to BN’s Mohd Faizal Ramli in Linggi, while Loke lost his Chennah seat - which he had held for three terms - to BN’s John Siow Kong Choon.
Speaking to the media, Aminuddin said he has no regrets over the coalition's defeat, saying that he took pride in encouraging voters to judge leaders on their performance rather than their race.
"I accepted from the very beginning that the decision rests with the people. During the campaign, I presented my report card to them," he said, as quoted by the New Straits Times
Meanwhile, in conceding defeat, Loke said that PH lost the Chennah seat by a majority of less than 500 votes.
"I want to thank everyone. Please don't be disheartened or disappointed. We will continue to be with all of you. Even though we could not win this seat, all of you will always be in our hearts," he said in a video uploaded on the Facebook page of Chinese language news outlet Sin Chew Daily.
The PH loss in Negeri Sembilan is another blow to Anwar, following setbacks in the recently concluded Johor state election last month and the Sabah state polls in November.
PH's victory in 11 seats is down from the 17 it secured in the last state election. Meanwhile, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) - which remains part of PN but contested in the state election on its own - did not win any seats.
The previous election in 2023 saw BN and PH having an electoral pact. BN had previously secured 14 seats while PN won five seats.
Saturday’s polls saw 11 straight fights, 21 three-cornered contests, two four-cornered contests and two five-cornered fights.
The Negeri Sembilan snap state election was held against a backdrop of a royal deadlock with two claims to the throne.
It led to the then-chief minister Aminuddin of PH to dissolve the state legislative assembly after 14 UMNO assemblymen withdrew their support for him over his handling of the crisis involving the monarchy. UMNO is a lynchpin party of the BN coalition.
Although partners at the federal level, BN and PH contested directly against each other in both the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state polls.
Relations between the two blocs have also come under strain in Melaka after four Democratic Action Party (DAP) assemblymen quit the BN-controlled state government last month over BN's move to appoint unelected members of the state assembly.
DAP is a PH component party headed by Loke.
Zahid said on Saturday that BN and PN will now turn their attention to the impending Melaka state election, which is due by February next year.
“This mandate and decision (in Negeri Sembilan) also (allows) us to continue the blue and dark blue wave that begun in the state of Johor and, God willing, it will spread to Melaka state,” said Zahid at his press conference, referring to the shades of blue of the BN and PN logos respectively.
While top leaders of coalitions in Anwar’s government - including from BN - have pledged support for it to continue until the end of its term, analysts have said that the results could push him to call for snap polls at the federal level.
The 16th general elections must be held by February 2028.
