BN to contest 25 seats in N Sembilan, signals electoral pact with PN

BN has unveiled candidates for only 25 of the 36 Negeri Sembilan state seats, signalling what could be the clearest indication yet of electoral cooperation with Perikatan Nasional to maximise their chances against Pakatan Harapan.

In a ceremony earlier this evening, the list of candidates announced by BN deputy chairperson Mohamad Hasan showed Umno will be defending all 14 seats that the coalition holds.

The party is also contesting two other seats, Labu and Pilah, while MCA will run in seven and MIC in two.

Of the 14 seats Umno is defending, 12 will be contested by the incumbents. Senaling assemblyperson Ismail Lasim has been moved to contest Juasseh, replacing incumbent Bibi Sharliza Khalid, who has been dropped.

The seven seats MCA is contesting are Chennah, Bahau, Nilai, Temiang, Rahang, Chuah and Repah; while MIC will be running for the Seremban Jaya and Sri Tanjung constituencies.

Based on the list, BN is giving way to its electoral ally in Klawang, Serting, Lobak, Sikamat, Ampangan, Bukit Kepayang, Mambau, Paroi, Lukut, Bagan Pinang, and Gemas.

‘Not with Linggi’

While BN has not explicitly named its new partner, Mohamad and BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's speeches tonight strongly hinted it would not be with Harapan.

"As the BN chairperson mentioned earlier, there will be another announcement soon, because we are entering a pact with a friend for this state election.

"But don't worry, it won't be with Linggi. We will enter an agreement with trustworthy friends," Mohamad, who is defending his Rantau state seat, told the audience.

It is understood that he is referring to caretaker Negeri Sembilan menteri besar and state Harapan chief Aminuddin Harun, who will not defend his Sikamat seat but will contest in Linggi instead.

Here is the full list of BN candidates:

N01 Chennah: Siow Kong Choon
N02 Pertang: Jalaluddin Alias
N03 Sungai Lui: Razi Ali
N06 Palong: Mustapha Nagoor
N07 Jeram Padang: Zaidy Abdul Kadir
N08 Bahau: Chong Fui Ming
N09 Lenggeng: Asna Amin
N10 Nilai: Lai Chien Kong
N12 Temiang: Leaw Kok Chan
N15 Juasseh: Ismail Lasim
N16 Seri Menanti: Sufian Maradzi
N17 Senaling: Qayyum Abd Jalil
N18 Pilah: Liza Yassin
N19 Johol: Saiful Yazan Sulaiman
N20 Labu: Siti Nur Umaira Hasim
N22 Rahang: Yap Siok Moy
N24 Seremban Jaya: Thinalan Rajagopalu
N26 Chembong: Zaifulbahri Idris
N27 Rantau: Mohamad Hasan
N28 Kota: Suhaimi Aini
N29 Chuah: Pau Jeou Ching
N32 Linggi: Faizal Ramli
N33 Seri Tanjung: Achutan Alagan
N35 Gemencheh: Suhaimizan Bizar
N36 Repah: Koh Kim Swee

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