THE night produced one of the biggest upsets in Negeri Sembilan when DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke lost Chennah, but the result did little to loosen Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) hold on most of the state’s non-Malay majority seats.
Loke, who retained Chennah with a 2,200-vote majority in the 2023 state election, was defeated by Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Siow Kong Choon in a surprise result that capped a difficult outing for the coalition in several mixed constituencies.
Even so, DAP continued to dominate much of its traditional support base, with PH successfully defending seats such as Seremban Jaya, Mambau, Rahang, Lukut, Bukit Kepayang, Nilai, Bahau and Temiang.
Repah was another setback for PH after MCA’s Koh Kim Swee wrested the seat for BN.
The losses were not confined to DAP. PKR and Amanah also saw their representation shrink as BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) made inroads into constituencies previously held by the two parties.
Among the night’s biggest surprises was the defeat of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun in Linggi, while Sikamat, long regarded as a PKR bastion, also slipped into PN’s hands.
As of 9 pm, unofficial results showed BN leading with victories in 18 seats: Chennah, Pertang, Sungai Lui, Palong, Jeram Padang, Lenggeng, Juasseh, Seri Menanti, Senaling, Pilah, Johol, Labu, Chembong, Rantau, Kota, Linggi, Gemencheh and Repah.
PN had secured seven seats – Klawang, Serting, Sikamat, Ampangan, Paroi, Bagan Pinang and Gemas – signalling gains in several key contests as the balance of power in the state shifted. – August 1, 2026
