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SHAH ALAM - Juasseh assemblyman Datuk Ismail Lasim was officially appointed as the new Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan following Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional's (PN) victory in the state election.
The 67-year-old veteran Umno leader, who is also the Kuala Pilah Umno chief, was sworn in before the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, at Istana Besar Seri Menanti on Sunday.
Ismail was among three names submitted by BN to the state ruler for consideration after BN and PN secured a two-thirds majority, ending Pakatan Harapan's (PH) two-term administration in the state.
The other candidates were Umno deputy president and former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, better known as Tok Mat, and Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison committee chairman as well as Pertang assemblyman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.
On Saturday night, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the coalition had submitted three names for the Menteri Besar's post.
"The ruler had absolute discretion in appointing the new Menteri Besar from the submitted list," he said.
Ismail brings extensive experience in Negeri Sembilan politics, having previously served as the state's education and human capital committee chairman.
He represented Senaling from 1999 to 2018 before serving as Juasseh assemblyman between 2018 and 2023. He then returned to Senaling from 2023 until 2026 before successfully contesting the Juasseh seat in Saturday's election.
In the three-cornered contest, Ismail secured 6,907 votes to comfortably defeat PH candidate Mohd Aidil Abdullah, who garnered 2,816 votes, and Bersatu candidate Mohd Zuhaimi Md Yusof, who received 506 votes.
The victory further strengthened BN's position in Kuala Pilah and reinforced Ismail's standing as one of the coalition's most experienced leaders in Negeri Sembilan.
A law graduate from Universiti Malaya, Ismail has been active in Negeri Sembilan politics for more than two decades and is widely regarded as a senior figure within the state Umno leadership.
His appointment marks BN's return to the Menteri Besar's office after the coalition, together with PN, won 25 of the 36 seats contested in the Aug 1 state election, reclaiming control of Negeri Sembilan from PH.
