THE race for Negeri Sembilan's 36 State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats officially begins today as nomination proceedings for the 16th State Election (PRN) take place simultaneously at eight nomination centres across the state from 9am.
Prospective candidates have until 10am to submit their nomination papers to Returning Officers, after which the Election Commission (EC) will announce the final list of candidates eligible to contest.
With nomination day under way, EC Chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the commission had completed all preparations, with every nomination centre ready to receive candidates.
Ahead of the exercise, the EC sold 464 nomination forms, while 70 prospective candidates had completed payment of their election deposits as of 9pm on Thursday.
"However, we encourage them to complete the payment earlier to avoid congestion and ensure that nomination day proceedings run smoothly," Ramlan said after inspecting final preparations at the nomination centre at the Seremban City Council (MBS) headquarters on Friday.
He said prospective candidates would still be permitted to pay their deposits until 10am on nomination day.
Ramlan added that all eight nomination centres serving the state's 36 constituencies were fully prepared, with 761 EC personnel deployed to manage the nomination process between 9am and 10am.
He urged candidates to arrive early and called on supporters to comply with official instructions to ensure the process remains orderly and peaceful.
Ramlan also noted that Negeri Sembilan's nomination arrangements differ from Johor's, where nomination centres were designated according to individual state constituencies.
Following the close of nominations, candidates will embark on a 14-day campaign ending at 11.59pm on July 31, ahead of early voting on July 28 and polling day on August 1.
The election follows the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly on June 5 after receiving the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.
A total of 889,490 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, comprising 867,151 ordinary voters, 16,884 military personnel and their spouses, and 5,455 police personnel and their spouses.
Political parties have already unveiled their line-ups, combining incumbents with fresh faces in their bids to form the next state government.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) will contest all 36 state seats, while Barisan Nasional (BN) is fielding candidates in 25 constituencies and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in 11. Smaller parties, including Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (ASLI), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa), will each contest one seat.
Meanwhile, Bersatu will contest 24 state seats, including two candidates from Parti Bersepakat Hak Rakyat Malaysia (Urimai), all using the Bersatu logo.
Security has been tightened for the election, with Negeri Sembilan police deploying 4,800 officers and personnel, supported by a further 1,373 officers from Bukit Aman throughout the election period.
The EC has reminded candidates and supporters to observe election regulations and avoid any form of provocation that could disrupt the nomination process.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast generally fair weather across most of the state this morning, although Port Dickson and Seremban are expected to receive rain. Thunderstorms are forecast statewide later in the afternoon.
In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election, Pakatan Harapan won 17 of the 36 seats, followed by Barisan Nasional with 14 and Perikatan Nasional with five. - July 18, 2026
