CARETAKER Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun said winning the state election is crucial for him to continue efforts to improve the welfare and prosperity of the Adat Perpatih state. 

The state Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said he would not take his three challengers lightly – especially the Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate – to ensure he successfully defended the Sikamat seat he won since 2008. 

“I will continue to work to ensure victory. The rival candidates have their own advantages this time; there are candidates who are contesting for the fourth time. I cannot take all the rivals lightly this time, neither can the PN candidate,” he told reporters after nominations ended today. 

Aminuddin will face Ahmad Raihan Muhamad Hilal (PN), and two independent candidates, Bujang Abu and Mohammed Hafiz Baharudin. 

Returning officer Saiful Saadon announced the candidates for Sikamat seat at Coral Heights Community Hall.  

During the announcement of PH candidates in Selangor on July 22, PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim hinted that Aminuddin would be retained as Negri Sembilan menteri besar if the PH-Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance won the state election. 

Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli and supporters of PH and BN, who accompanied Aminuddin in submitting his nomination form, said the Sikamat seat is important because it is the stronghold of PH in Negri Sembilan. 

“Without Aminuddin’s performance and the change of Malay voters who supported him in Sikamat, it would have been difficult to win the last general election.  

“Many changes in Negri Sembilan, especially among urban Malay voters, started in Sikamat,” said Rafizi, who is also the economy minister.  

In the 2018 general election, Aminuddin won the seat with a majority of 3,413 votes by defeating Syamsul Amri Ismail (BN), Rahim Yusof (PAS), and Bujang Abu (independent). – Bernama, July 29, 2023.