THE combination of a strong Malay vote swing towards the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance and the failure of Pakatan Harapan (PH) to address key concerns among its traditional supporters contributed to its defeat in Negeri Sembilan, according to political analyst Dr James Chin.

The University of Tasmania academic said the cooperation between UMNO and PAS proved to be a major factor in shifting Malay support away from PH, describing the combination as a formidable force when the two parties managed to work together.

“Once UMNO and PAS get together, they are very difficult to beat because the Malay ground will move in their direction,” he said in analysing the outcome of the state election.

Dr Chin said PH’s problems became apparent early in the campaign, with the coalition struggling to respond to concerns raised by Chinese voters, particularly over perceptions of anti-non-Malay policies at the federal level.

He said DAP, which has traditionally enjoyed strong support among Chinese voters, was unable to provide convincing answers on those issues during the campaign.

Another major factor, he added, was the political uncertainty surrounding the Negeri Sembilan government, which created additional challenges for PH in defending its administration.

“The political crisis in Negeri Sembilan was the biggest factor,” he said, adding that the issue, combined with the BN-PAS cooperation, made it increasingly difficult for PH to retain power.

Dr Chin also pointed to a late shift among Indian voters, which he linked to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “sorry” remarks during the campaign.

He said the last-minute change in sentiment among some Indian voters further weakened PH’s position as the coalition headed into polling day.

The unofficial results saw PH losing several key seats, including DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s Chennah seat and PH Negeri Sembilan chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun’s Linggi contest. – August 2, 2026