DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook has played down the possibility of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) major victory in the Johor state election influencing the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election.
Loke said the political landscape in both states was different, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) having the advantage of incumbency after governing Negeri Sembilan since 2018.
He said PH’s main focus was to defend the seats it won in the 2023 state election and secure enough support to continue leading the state government.
“In the 2023 state election, PH won 17 seats while BN won 14. Therefore, we still have a strong foundation to defend the seats we currently hold,” said Loke, who is also the Chennah assemblyman.
Loke acknowledged that PH was disappointed with its performance in Johor but maintained that the coalition still had a strong support base, particularly in areas contested by DAP.
He pointed out that DAP managed to retain six seats in Johor with more than 50 per cent of the vote share, which he said showed continued support among urban voters.
According to Loke, BN benefited from the one-on-one contests in Johor, especially after PAS supporters shifted their backing towards BN candidates.
“Of course, the Johor result is disappointing for PH. However, every day is a new beginning, and we respect the decision made by Johor voters in the democratic process,” he said.
The Negeri Sembilan state election, scheduled for August 1, will see BN and PH contest separately after previously cooperating in the 2023 election.
In the previous state polls, PH secured 17 seats, BN won 14 seats, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) captured five seats comprising three from PAS and two from Bersatu.
The election was called after BN withdrew its support for Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun in April.
