ALTHOUGH the Negri Sembilan menteri besar is a respected figure in the state, many Seremban folk are willing to sacrifice him in exchange for a new state government led by Pakatan Harapan. 

They said a new government must also be formed at the state level, echoing statement by Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, who said Negri Sembilan is Pakatan Harapan’s frontline state.

“The current menteri besar is a good leader but he is in cahoots with thieves. 

“He manages the state well and he is a smart man but he supports Najib,” Kazir Mohd Dali, 49, said after attending Pakatan Harapan’s ceramah in Seremban last night, referring to Prime Minister Najib Razak. 

Mohamad Hasan is in his third term as menteri besar and many in the state hold him in high regard regardless of their political affiliation. 

The state BN chairman previously said that the ruling party is targeting to increase its parliamentary seats in the state, aiming to win seven out of the eight seats in the 14th general election. 

In GE13, BN won five parliamentary seats in the state, followed by DAP (2) and PKR (1). 

He also said BN is aiming to secure a two-thirds majority in the state assembly in GE14.

Kazir said despite the good track record by Mohamad, he still wants Negri Sembilan to be ruled by PH, like its neighbouring state Selangor. 

“For me, we have no other options, Umno and BN have to go, so we have to sacrifice our menteri besar even though he is a good leader. 

“Like tonight, I agree with everything that was said by the PH leaders, like how GST has impacted our cost of living. But the issue is not as big as stealing people’s money or having a kleptocrat government,” the businessman said. 

Another ceramah-goer Azman Sifat said many voters in the constituents yearned for change as they could no longer cope up with the rising cost of living. 

“I have met many people who want a new government but they are not angry with the menteri besar, it just that we think he is colluding with them. 

“But it won’t be easy, but we have to make this change,” the 51-year-old said. 

Amanah supporter Hanif Alim, 28, said the current menteri besar’s only mistake is being part of BN. 

“He has a good reputation as MB, he is friendly, low-profile leader and his administration is good but he is with Najib, that is his mistake,” he said. 

Michael Wong said it would be an uphill task for PH to wrest the state, especially in garnering support from people in rural areas. 

“It’s not easy for PH to capture this state because Mohamad Hasan is a good leader, he does his job well and BN has done a good job in Negri Sembilan. 

Mohamad Sabu, or better known as Mat Sabu, yesterday said PH is confident of winning the state, saying more Malays have shifted their support to the opposition coalition.

PKR has been tasked with leading the opposition pact in the state, contesting 12 state constituencies, followed by DAP (11), Amanah (7) and Bersatu (6).

In GE13, the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat won 14 state seats in Negri Sembilan. 

Among PH top guns who addressed thousands of Seremban constituents yesterday were chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Mat Sabu, Bersatu’s Mukhriz Mahathir and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. 

Most of them reiterated issues and scandals surrounding Najib’s administration, such as 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), goods and services tax (GST) and re-delineation. 

Dr Mahathir said the objective of the proposed re-delineation of electoral boundaries is to segregate Malay and Chinese voters. 

“Najib thinks that Malays are stupid, give them RM200 and they will vote for Najib while the Chinese are smarter and not easily bribed, that’s why they are separating Malay and Chinese voters,” he said. 

Up to 128 of the 222 Parliamentary seats will be redrawn in the re-delineation, which will need to be passed by Parliament.

Studies have shown that the re-delineation, along with three-cornered fights, will help Najib regain the two-thirds parliamentary majority of 148 seats that the BN once enjoyed. – March 19, 2018.