“It is not something that I am 100% confident about, but the opportunity is still 50-50,” said Aminuddin.
PORT DICKSON: Negeri Sembilan Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has acknowledged that his decision to contest the Linggi state seat is a high-risk move, admitting that his chances of victory remain evenly balanced as he attempts to break Barisan Nasional’s (BN) long-standing grip on the constituency.
Aminuddin, who is leaving his safe seat of Sikamat to contest Linggi, described the contest as a battle not only against BN’s candidate but also against the party’s deeply entrenched election machinery in the constituency.
“I am still 50-50. At this moment, we still need time.
“It is not something that I am 100% confident about, but the opportunity is still 50-50,” he told reporters after nomination-related activities today.
Linggi has traditionally been regarded as one of BN’s strongest strongholds in Negeri Sembilan, having remained under Umno’s control since the late 1970s.
The constituency, which covers several rural communities in Port Dickson, has never been won by PH, making Aminuddin’s move a significant gamble as the coalition attempts to expand its influence beyond its traditional strongholds.
Aminuddin said he was aware of the challenge ahead, noting that PH would be facing not only the BN candidate but also the strength of the coalition’s election machinery.
“We know this is their stronghold. When I offer myself in Linggi, I am not only contesting against a candidate, but against the Umno-BN machinery,” he said.
The caretaker Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar said his move was not an act of abandoning his previous constituency, but a decision made in the interest of ensuring PH could secure enough seats to form a stable state government.
“I am not running away. I am leaving Sikamat because, for me, Pakatan Harapan needs new seats that must be won to ensure a stable government,” he said.
Aminuddin said he was confident that his experience as the Member of Parliament for Port Dickson and a state assemblyman would help him serve the people of Linggi, despite acknowledging that he was leaving behind a more comfortable political base.
“This is a responsibility, and it is not easy because I am leaving an area where I am quite comfortable,” he said.
The PH leader also rejected attempts to link his candidacy to issues surrounding adat and the Undang Luak Sungai Ujong, describing such arguments as unnecessary and divisive.
“That is not the issue. The Sungai Ujong area also includes parts of Port Dickson. If I wanted the easy way, I could have contested in Kuala Pilah. But that is not the issue.
“If such remarks are being made, I think they are shallow arguments intended to create a negative perception. Do not link adat and the Raja to this (politics). Let us strengthen our unity.”
Aminuddin said PH was aiming to win more than 18 seats in the Negeri Sembilan election and appealed for continued support.
“Our target is, insya-Allah, more than 18 seats. That is our hope, our aspiration and the effort we are making,” he said.
