Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim¡¯s ruling bloc lost a key state election to the once-dominant Barisan Nasional coalition, raising fresh doubts about his political standing ahead of the next nationwide polls.
Anwar¡¯s Pakatan Harapan coalition won only 11 of 36 seats in Negeri Sembilan on Saturday, down from 17 previously, with even Malaysia¡¯s transport minister losing his place in the state assembly.
Barisan Nasional and its ally in the election, Perikatan Nasional, led by the country¡¯s top Islamist party, won a combined 25 seats and are now set to form the new state government with a supermajority. Voter turnout was about 73%.
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