PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) has started moving its election machinery in Negri Sembilan with hopes of taking over the state from Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the coming state elections.

Negri Sembilan PN information chief Khairul Yazman Yahya said the pact was looking at winning the state with a simple majority, with the focus on winning the Malay-majority seats.

He said PN believes that the sentiment shown by voters in the general election (GE) will be in their favour once again.

“There are 21 Malay majority seats in Negri Sembilan with Malay voters accounting for 60% or more. Of that, we aim to win 19 seats, which is quite realistic.

“We want to contest in all 36 state seats, but we have to be realistic, so the target is winning 19 seats,” Khairul told The Malaysian Insight.

PN’s campaign started in Seri Menanti last Saturday through the Semarak Gelombang Rakyat gathering attended by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also PN deputy chairman.

Khairul said PN parties that will contest in Negri Sembilan are Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan that have decided that they need to start the campaign machinery immediately.

He said they realised that their weakness in the GE was that the parties were working on their own.

“So, we decided that our machinery will have to work as a team, and we have to start now to create a wave (of support),” he said when met in Seri Menanti, Kuala Pilah.

The culmination of that effort will be seen next March in Seremban when PN organises a massive rally after touring the state, he added.

“The work starts in Seri Menanti, then to Serting, Kuala Pilah, and Gemas, and finally, on March 12 in Seremban and we will maintain this wave until the state polls,” said Khairul.

At present, PN has no federal or state seats in Negri Sembilan.

In the recent GE, Barisan Nasional (BN) dominated five of the eight parliamentary seats in the state, while the remaining three were won by PH.

In GE14, PH dominated the Negri Sembilan state assembly by winning 20 seats, while BN won 16 seats.

Negri Sembilan is among six states that will face state elections this year, which should be held by September.

Apart from Negri Sembilan, the others are PH-controlled Penang and Selangor, and PAS/PN controlled Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Young voters

Khairul said that PN would be targeting young voters for the coming state polls in Negri Sembilan.

“Following the current trend (as seen in the GE), young voters turn to us. In Negri Sembilan between 35% and 45% of voters backed us,” he said, relying on data from voters’ streams from the recent GE.

“What is exciting is that channel three and above (young voters) are very much in our favour,” he added.

He said that in order to capture more youth support, PN would be working on its social media campaigns.

“(The content) of our Tik Tok will be updated from time to time according to the trends they like. We will approach young people with various programmes,” he said.

In addition, PN grassroots leaders have suggested that the pact name young candidates in the elections.

“They have proposed that about 40% to 50% of the candidates competing in the state election be young people. To win, we have to use this kind of strategy,” said Khairul.

He also said that PN can win over support from BN and PH supporters who are disappointed with the formation of a unity government at the federal level.

“There is an opportunity here but we must approach them differently, maybe by having closed meetings as some of them are civil servants and important people in their parties.

“With proper planning, God willing, the target of 19 seats (can be achieved), a government can be formed,” he added.

Defectors

One opposition leader that PN Negri Sembilan is banking on is former Seremban Umno Youth chief Zool Amali Hussin who is disillusioned with his former party’s decision to work with PH to form the unity government.

Zool Amali has now joined PAS and was present at the PN event in Seri Menanti.

Zool Amali, better known as Jebat, told The Malaysian Insight his goal now is to help PN win Negri Sembilan.

The deputy chairman of Pekida Negri Sembilan said he was also playing a big role in attracting Umno members to join PAS.

“My target is to make sure that PN rules Negri Sembilan. I want to prove that I am Umno’s nightmare.

“Even though I don’t have a position in PN, I’m just an ordinary member of PAS, I’m responsible for creating awareness among the young people. PN and PAS are fighting for our race and religion,” he said.

Zool Amali believes that voters who were disappointed after choosing BN in the GE will support PN this time round.

“In the upcoming state election, voters may feel they have been cheated by BN who is working with their enemy, DAP. So would PH voters, as PH is working with BN.

“When things like this happen, voters have to realise that these parties are not helping to solve the people’s problems, but only to protect the self interest of their leaders,” he said. –  January 24, 2023.