SEREMBAN, July 1 ― The Negeri Sembilan State Assembly (DUN), which has 36 seats, is officially dissolved today, paving the way for the state polls to be held.

The dissolution today saw Negeri Sembilan as the only state to take full advantage of the five-year mandate period for the 14th term.

The first sitting of the 14th Negeri Sembilan State Assembly was held on July 1, 2018, after the 14th general election (GE14) on May 9, 2018.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun announced the date of dissolution of the State Assembly last Wednesday after getting the consent of the Yang Dipertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir.

In GE14, Pakatan Harapan (PH), led by Aminuddin, dominated 20 seats in the State Assembly, comprising 11 seats by DAP, PKR (six) and Amanah (three).

Barisan Nasional (BN) won 16 seats with 15 from Umno and one from MIC.

During that term, a by-election was for the Rantau seat following the Federal Court’s decision in dismissing a petition filed by its incumbent Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Mohamad sought to set aside the decision of the Seremban Election Court, made on Nov 16, 2018, in declaring his victory for the seat in GE14 null and void.

In the by-election held on April 13, 2019, Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president, defended the seat with a majority of 4,510 votes, defeating his three challengers, namely PH candidate Dr S. Streram and two independent candidates, housewife R. Malarvizhi and former lecturer Mohd Nor Yassin.

Apart from Negeri Sembilan, the other five states that will be involved in the state elections are Kelantan, which is the first to dissolve its State Assembly, Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Terengganu.

Selangor dissolved its State Assembly on June 22, followed by Selangor on June 23, while Penang, Kedah and Terengganu on June 28. ― Bernama