Negeri Sembilan political crisis: DAP agrees with Tok Mat's proposal to dissolve state assembly

SEREMBAN - DAP has agreed that the best way to resolve the political crisis in Negeri Sembilan is by dissolving the state legislative assembly.

Its secretary-general Anthony Loke said the move could help ease the current situation while ensuring the state government is administered with a clearer mandate.

“At the very least, there will be a clearer mandate because it is difficult to maintain confidence in the unity government in Negeri Sembilan after the Umno-Barisan Nasional assemblymen withdrew their support.

“Now, of course, if an election is held, we will compete against one another. So, it will be up to the people to decide who they want to form the state government,” he said after an afternoon tea programme celebrating 406 excellent Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students in the Seremban parliamentary constituency on Sunday.

He was commenting on a statement by Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who viewed the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan state assembly as the best solution to the ongoing political crisis, while returning the mandate to the people to decide who is best suited to govern the state.

Further commenting on the matter, Loke said although Umno-BN had continued to express support for the unity government, the situation still carried risks, including the possibility of the state government being overthrown during a state assembly sitting.

He added that such a situation should be avoided as it could create various perceptions.

“We only have until October to hold the state assembly sitting and anything can happen in the assembly.

“Even though they say they still support the unity government in the state, we do not want to take the risk of being toppled in the assembly or having the budget rejected,” he said.

The Negeri Sembilan DAP chairman also revealed that he had proposed the dissolution to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the PH Convention in Johor Bahru last week, but stressed that the final decision rests with Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

He also said the state PH leadership was prepared to hold elections simultaneously with Johor, which is expected to dissolve its state assembly soon.

“As I said during the PH Convention in Johor Bahru last week, Negeri Sembilan is also prepared to hold elections simultaneously with Johor.

“If Johor is dissolved in the near future, Negeri Sembilan may also be dissolved. But that is up to the Menteri Besar. I am only making a suggestion and the Menteri Besar must decide after consulting PH’s top leadership,” he said.

He added that if Negeri Sembilan were to hold state elections together with Johor and Melaka, the move would certainly help save costs.

Commenting on the possibility of PH contesting solo in Negeri Sembilan, Loke said the coalition already had experience governing the state on its own.

“From 2018 until 2023, although there was the Sheraton Move at the federal level in 2020, Negeri Sembilan managed to survive.

“Although PH only had 20 seats, we did not fall at that time and that means we have strength,” he said.

Loke also noted that the political situation in every state is different and it was unsurprising when Johor Umno-BN declared its intention to contest all 56 state seats despite cooperating with PH in the unity government at the federal level.

“In Negeri Sembilan, support for the Menteri Besar has been withdrawn. So, I think if an election takes place in Negeri Sembilan, we will have to contest against each other,” he said.