Bloody nose for Pakatan and BN as Perikatan took over 71 of their incumbent seats, making up almost half of haul

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — With the conclusion of the six state elections, Perikatan Nasional (PN) had shown how its so-called “green wave” — the surge in Malay-Muslim conservatism as championed by the coalition — can flip numerous seats from its political rivals.

From the total of 245 seats available for both PN and the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) coalitions, the former managed to win 146 seats across six states.

Of the 146 seats, 48 per cent of them — or 71 seats — had belonged to PH-BN prior to the state elections.

The highest state to have seats switched side to PN was Selangor with 21 seats with many of it being Malay majority and rural areas.

To note, some PN candidates were incumbents in their respective seats when they won them in 2018 when Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia was under PH.

For example, PN’s Muhammad Hilman Idham was a PKR man before switching allegiance to join Bersatu in 2020. He defeated BN’s Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin with a small margin of 58 majority votes.

The other seats were: Sabak, Sungai Panjang, Hulu Bernam, Batang Kali, Sungai Burong, Permatang, Bukit Melawati, Ijok, Jeram, Kuang, Gombak Setia, Hulu Kelang, Semenyih, Sungai Ramal, Taman Medan, Paya Jaras, Sementa, Selat Klang, Sungai Kandis, Morib, Dengkil.

The Permatang seat, which is under the Tanjong Karang constituency and BN’s stronghold, saw five-term Tanjong Karang MP, Tan Sri Noh Omar’s daughter, Nurul Noh Omar win with the ex-Umno warlord campaigning for PN to attract voters. Nurul won with 12,850 votes with a 1,728 majority.

In an urban seat with Malay majority voters, the Taman Medan seat saw PN’s Dr Afif Bahardin win the seat with a slim majority of 30 votes.

The other seat PN won was Sijangkang, which was also under Bersatu prior to the state election.

In Kedah, PN flipped 18 seats from PH-BN to win 33 of 36 seats.

The seats were: Ayer Hangat, Kuah, Kota Siputih, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Jitra, Derga, Suka Menanti, Alor Mengkudu, Anak Bukit, Kubang Rotan, Pengkalan Kundor, Sungai Tiang, Guar Chempedak, Gurun, Bukit Selambau, Lunas, Kulim and Bandar Baharu.

PN managed to get Terengganu with a clean sweep with all 33 seats being won by them which even saw former menteri besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said lose his seat in Kijal.

Apart from Kijal, PN took over Kuala Besut, Jertih, Hulu Besut, Permaisuri, Langkap, Batu Rakit, Seberang Takir, Telemung, and Bukit Besi.

PH-BN saw 10 of its seats in Penang taken away from them and they were mainly the Malay-majority seats.

The seats were: Pinang Tunggal, Permatang Berangan, Sungai Dua, Telok Ayer Tawar, Seberang Jaya, Permatang Pasir, Penanti, Sungai Bakap, Pulau Betong, Telok Bahang.

In Kelantan, PN strengthened its fortress by taking away seven seats from its rivals.

The seats were: Kok Lanas, Gual Ipoh, Bukit Bunga, Ayer Lanas, Kuala Balah, Nenggiri, and Paloh.

However, Dr Hafidzah Mustaqim of PH did the impossible when she managed to win the Kota Lama seat from the PN with a majority vote of 202.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan remained PH-BN’s stronghold where they formed the state government after winning with a two-thirds majority.

PN only managed to grab five seats from the unity government pact in Serting, Labu, Paroi, Bagan Pinang and Gemas.

Prior to the elections, analysts such as Ilham Centre and Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research (NASR) had predicted that both coalitions would retain their states.