BARISAN Nasional (BN) must tailor its approach to the political realities of Negeri Sembilan instead of assuming that the formula behind its strong performance in the Johor state election can be directly replicated, said UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Johari said BN’s victory in Johor was not driven by a single factor but resulted from the combination of three key elements: a strong party structure, capable candidates and an effective election machinery.
He said these factors would remain crucial for BN in Negeri Sembilan as the coalition seeks to secure public support for its candidates in the upcoming state election.
"We won in Johor because we fulfilled these three aspects. A strong party, candidates who were capable and an election machinery that worked effectively.
"When we come to Negeri Sembilan, this state has its own strengths and challenges. We cannot assume that the same formula will automatically apply," he said.
Johari was speaking at a meeting with the BN Tampin election machinery yesterday.
He said the party machinery played a critical role in determining BN’s success as it served as the main bridge between candidates and voters throughout the campaign period.
According to Johari, a strong party and good candidates alone would not be sufficient if the election machinery failed to operate effectively as a united team.
"If our party is strong and our candidates are good, but the machinery is weak or there are disagreements among ourselves, it will be difficult for candidates to gain support," he said.
Johari said winning Negeri Sembilan would form part of BN’s broader efforts to strengthen its position at the state level ahead of future elections.
He added that BN must continue developing new leaders capable of carrying forward the party’s struggles by building on its past experience and track record. - July 19, 2026
