DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke stated on May 17 that Negeri Sembilan could dissolve its state assembly "tomorrow" if Johor dissolves its assembly first, signaling readiness to follow Johor’s move [1, 2, 3]. He said, "If Johor contests all 56 seats, Negeri Sembilan will contest 36 seats. If Johor dissolves tomorrow, Negeri Sembilan can also dissolve tomorrow" [3].
Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) had recently announced plans to contest all 56 state assembly seats in the upcoming Johor election, raising political tensions within the federal unity government [1, 3]. This announcement marked a challenge to the usual electoral cooperation between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and BN at the state level, as Johor BN opts to compete comprehensively rather than coordinate seats [3].
DAP, the largest party within PH, leads the federal government together with BN, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak [1]. At a Pakatan Harapan convention attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Loke outlined the coalition’s position on contesting all 36 state seats in Negeri Sembilan if BN contests all seats in Johor [1].
Political tension in Negeri Sembilan has increased after 14 Umno assemblymen withdrew support from Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun amid a state monarchy crisis. Despite this, Aminuddin retained his position [1].
DAP also defended the government’s position on the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), saying it is not a replacement for the national SPM exam and criticizing detractors as "ignorant" [1]. Loke emphasized, "This is not a political issue, not a language issue. We are strengthening Bahasa Melayu" [1].
The concrete next step is Johor BN’s formal dissolution of its state assembly, which would trigger the election and could lead Negeri Sembilan to dissolve its assembly promptly following Johor’s example [1, 3].
