SHAH ALAM – Barisan Nasional (BN) in Negeri Sembilan is expected to follow Johor’s lead by going solo if the State Legislative Assembly is dissolved soon to pave the way for a state election.
Malaysia Institute for Political Studies lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Mashitah Mohd Udin said the decision not to continue the cooperation formula with Pakatan Harapan (PH) is driven by several factors.
“Among the main factors behind this expectation is the clear differences between Umno-BN and PH in Negeri Sembilan, particularly regarding the Undang Yang Empat issue, which has created significant differences in stance between both parties.
“Additionally, Umno under the current leadership is seen as increasingly confident in its ability to regain public support without relying on any other political coalition.
“This trend can be seen in the approach taken in Johor, where Umno appears ready to enter the political arena independently,” she told Sinar on Wednesday.
Mashitah said the possibility of Umno-BN working with Perikatan Nasional before the election is unlikely, as relations between the two blocs remain strained and shaped by intense rivalry since the 15th General Election (GE15).
She also said Umno-BN has strong potential to govern Negeri Sembilan based on the results of the previous state election.
“Umno-BN is currently seen as more organised, with no major internal divisions capable of undermining stability at the state level,” she said.