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SEREMBAN - Perikatan Nasional (PN) tonight announced 11 candidates for the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election, with PAS contesting five seats allocated to the coalition under its electoral arrangement with Barisan Nasional (BN).
The line-up comprises five PAS candidates, four from Parti Wawasan Rakyat (Wawasan), one from Gerakan and one from the Malaysian Indian People's Party (MIPP).
The announcement by PN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar comes after BN confirmed it would contest 25 of the state's 36 seats, leaving the remaining 11 constituencies to be contested by PN under the cooperation forged between the two coalitions.
The slate reflects PN's efforts to project a broader multiracial appeal, with candidates drawn from several component parties.
Bersatu, a PN component party, has said it will field its own candidates and contest under its own logo following its disagreement with PAS over the latter's cooperation with BN.
The seat arrangement marks a significant political realignment in Negeri Sembilan, where PN and BN have agreed to avoid contests against each other in an effort to consolidate opposition support against the Pakatan Harapan-led state government.
Coalition leaders said the candidates were selected based on their grassroots experience, local standing and ability to address issues affecting voters in their respective constituencies.
The election will be closely watched as a test of the PN-BN cooperation model and its ability to attract support across traditional political divides. It will also determine whether the opposition's latest realignment can pose a serious challenge to Pakatan Harapan's hold on the 36-seat Negeri Sembilan Legislative Assembly.
