SEREMBAN – As nominations for the Negeri Sembilan state election closed on July 18, the stage is set for a closely-watched contest, with 103 candidates vying for the state’s 36 assembly seats.

A total of eight parties have thrown their hat into the ring, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) fielding the largest pool of 36 candidates.

Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi’s Barisan Nasional (BN) is contesting 25 seats. BN is also benefiting from an informal agreement with the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN), which is gunning for 11 seats.

This makes the Aug 1 election largely a showdown between PH and BN.

The polls will also be the state’s most closely fought in decades, featuring two five-cornered fights – the first in 52 years – in Nilai and Sri Tanjung.

Jeram Padang and Rahang will face four-cornered fights, while there will be a whopping 21 three-cornered fights.

At the 2023 state election, 83 candidates competed for 36 seats, among which seven were three-cornered fights and two were four-cornered ones.

PH enters the contest after two electoral setbacks, including at the Johor state election. At the July 11 poll, BN secured 48 of the 56 seats, eight more from the 2023 state polls, while PH’s tally fell from 12 to eight. 

The Negeri Sembilan election was triggered by