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NEGERI Sembilan goes to the polls today, with 889,490 registered voters set to decide the composition of the 36-member state assembly and the state’s next government.
Voting will be held at 401 polling centres involving 1,668 streams, with the Election Commission (EC) deploying 15,344 election workers to oversee the voting process.
Polling begins at 8am, although closing times differ according to polling centres.
Earlier this week, military personnel, policemen and their spouses cast their ballots during early voting at 38 polling centres across the state.
A total of 103 candidates are contesting the election, with 19 seats needed to secure a simple majority.
Pakatan Harapan (PH), which led the state government under Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun before the dissolution of the state assembly, is contesting all 36 seats.
Its partner in the previous state administration, Barisan Nasional (BN), is contesting 25 constituencies.
The opposition, meanwhile, enters the election under a split arrangement.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) is fielding candidates in 11 seats, with PAS contesting five, Parti Wawasan Negara four, Gerakan one and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) one.
Bersatu is contesting 24 seats under its own logo after failing to reach a seat arrangement with the PAS-led PN.
The move has resulted in direct contests between Bersatu and PAS in Serting, Ampangan, Paroi and Bagan Pinang.
Apart from the main political blocs, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Berjasa, and Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (ASLI) are also fielding candidates, while four independents are in the race.
The campaign, which ended at midnight yesterday, saw parties focusing largely on local issues, including the cost of living, employment, infrastructure, flood mitigation and development.
Among the seats expected to draw the closest attention is Linggi, where Aminuddin is seeking election after moving from his long-held seat of Sikamat.
The constituency has traditionally been regarded as a BN stronghold and is expected to be among the toughest contests in this election.
Attention is also expected to be on Ampangan and Paroi, where the contests involving Bersatu and PAS have added another dimension to the fight for votes.
Counting will begin once polling closes, with official results expected later tonight. – August 1, 2026
