Anwar Ibrahim's coalition loses Negeri Sembilan state election to rival Malay coalitions

Published Aug 3, 01:23 AM UTC

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition suffered a significant electoral defeat in the Negeri Sembilan state election, losing control to the rival Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalitions. BN won 18 seats and PN won 7, while PH dropped from 17 to 11 seats. This follows a similar defeat in Johor last month. The loss is attributed to a growing Malay-Muslim unity narrative that has eroded PH's support base, as well as disillusionment with Anwar's leadership due to corruption scandals and perceived complacency. BN and PN formed an electoral understanding to avoid splitting the Malay vote, which proved effective. The result widens the rift between BN and PH at the federal level and raises the possibility of an early general election, which must be held by 2028.