All signs point to Pakatan securing at least five seats in Negri Sembilan, says MB Aminuddin
JELEBU, Nov 17 — Negri Sembilan Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has expressed confidence that the coalition will retain at least five federal constituencies in Negri Sembilan during the 15th general election (GE15).
He said there is a likelihood of another two seats being secured as well.
The Negri Sembilan parliamentary constituencies are Seremban, Rasah, Rembau, Jempol, Jelebu, Kuala Pilah, Port Dickson and Tampin.
“So we will have seven seats, which we feel we have a chance to win in style,” said Aminuddin when met at a ceramah here.
Aminuddin’s ceramah was disrupted several times due to a power cut triggered by a storm that hit several parts of Negri Sembilan last night.
The Negri Sembilan mentri besar had in his ceramah described how Jelebu has been left behind in terms of development compared to other constituencies, laying the blame squarely on the previous Barisan Nasional-led (BN) state government.
“What is there in Jelebu?” he asked the audience when touching on the realignment of the East-Coast Rail Link (ECRL).
The ERCL’s proposed alignment when PH was in office would have passed through Jelebu.
However, post-'Sheraton Move', when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government was formed, the alignment was moved to Bentong and bypassed Jelebu completely.
Aminuddin said due to this realignment, Jelebu’s chance to see more development was lost.
If one were to drive to Jelebu at night from Seremban, the road leading towards the quiet and laid-back township is only lit by headlights of other vehicles.
Otherwise, motorists only have reflective indicators and warning signs to watch out for wild tapirs for company.
“Compared to other parliamentary seats in Negri Sembilan, the candidates from BN and PN pose a stronger competition here.
“That is why in these two days, I asked our Jelebu candidate here to work extra hard and try to catch up or even surpass his friends (in the other constituencies), as in these two days, outstation voters will return home.
“This is an opportunity for us to build momentum.
“Usually, during a general election in Negri Sembilan, it feels like Hari Raya. We can see it as a big Hari Raya celebration here and if we can build that momentum, I believe that we can take it all,” he said, referring to the Negri Sembilan’s parliamentary seats that have been placed in his care.
PH’s Jelebu candidate is the Negri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly Speaker, Datuk Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, who will attempt to wrest the seat from BN’s Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, who served as assemblyman for the Kelawang and Pertang state seat after the 2004 and 2013 general election respectively.
In GE14, Jalaluddin won the Jelebu seat with a 2,045 majority. The Jelebu seat was first contested by Tan Sri Rais Yatim in 1974. He defended the seat in several general elections since but was dropped in the 2013 general election and later joined Bersatu in June 2018.
On Saturday, Jelebu will see a four-cornered fight between Zulkefly, Jalaluddin, Zaharuddin Baba Samion from Perikatan Nasional and Ahmad Fakri Abu Samah from Gerakan Tanah Air.
