The outcome of the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) cooperation in the Negeri Sembilan state election will influence future political arrangements ahead of the Melaka state election and the 16th General Election (GE16), said BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid said BN would first evaluate the political landscape and performance of the cooperation in Negeri Sembilan before considering any broader collaboration with PN in future elections.
“We will assess the performance in Negeri Sembilan first. Politics is always dynamic, and we will determine the necessary arrangements for Melaka and other states later, especially heading towards GE16,” he told reporters after attending the Gema@KKDW 2026 programme at Felda Palong 8 today.
He was responding to questions on whether the BN-PN cooperation in Negeri Sembilan could serve as a model for the upcoming GE16.
The Umno president stressed that the cooperation between BN and PN was only an electoral understanding aimed at avoiding clashes between candidates and should not be viewed as a formal agreement between the two parties.
Zahid said the decision was made based on past experiences and current political developments, including lessons learned from the Johor state election.
He expressed appreciation towards PN leaders for understanding the political situation in Negeri Sembilan, describing the cooperation as a possible new political alignment in the state.
Zahid also expressed confidence that BN could repeat its strong performance in Johor, citing the party’s previous administration and economic management record in Negeri Sembilan.
The Negeri Sembilan state election is scheduled to take place on Aug 1, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) contesting all 36 state seats.
Under the electoral understanding between BN and PN, BN will contest 25 seats while PN will contest the remaining 11 seats.
