THE political fallout from Barisan Nasional’s (BN) decision to work with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Negeri Sembilan state election has put further pressure on its relationship with Pakatan Harapan (PH), said former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy said the move had created the biggest strain between BN and PH since the formation of the unity government in 2022, raising questions over the coalition’s long-term cooperation.
Speaking on his Keluar Sekejap podcast, the former health minister said both sides had different interpretations of the arrangement.
He said PH would likely view BN’s cooperation with PN during the state polls as a betrayal, while BN could argue that its agreement with PH only covered cooperation at the federal level.
“PH will say it was a betrayal. BN will say it only agreed to work together at the federal level and that does not mean they are tied together forever,” he said.
The BN-PN pact won 25 seats in the 36-seat Negeri Sembilan assembly during the state election, while PH secured the remaining 11 seats.
Khairy said the development had shifted attention towards BN’s next move, particularly whether the coalition would continue supporting the unity government until the next general election.
He said the government could technically survive without BN’s backing, but its position would become more difficult if it lost further support from other lawmakers.
Khairy pointed to recent political developments, including former Subang MP Wong Chen leaving PKR to join Bersama, a party formed by former PKR leaders Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
He also cited the presence of PKR’s Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail and Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung at Bersama’s launch, as well as speculation involving several Sabah lawmakers.
“With these developments, the numbers could continue to shrink. Perhaps the advantage is now with Zahid,” he said.
DAP likely to stay in government, says Khairy.
Meanwhile, Khairy expects DAP to remain part of the unity government despite the party’s upcoming internal vote on whether it should withdraw before the end of the current administration’s term.
He said DAP delegates would likely consider the impact of leaving Putrajaya, including concerns over political stability and the party’s ability to show results before the next general election.
Khairy said while quitting the government could be framed as a principled stand, the party may decide that remaining in power would better serve its political interests.
He also suggested that some DAP leaders may be reluctant to give up their ministerial roles.
“Some have never cared about ministerial positions from the beginning, but some DAP leaders enjoy being ministers,” he said. – August 14, 2026
