Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said a proposed alliance between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional to form a new state government did not go down well with voters.

“Negeri Sembilan BN’s move to align with PN was seen as unpopular and opportunistic while the royal crisis was ongoing,” he told FMT.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said the episode showed BN lacked a “serious strategy” despite making moves to unseat Pakatan Harapan’s Aminuddin Harun as the menteri besar.

He said Umno’s central leadership was aware that forming a new government was unlikely in the near term, given that the crisis involving Negeri Sembilan’s customs and constitutional process had yet to be settled.

“Umno knows they are stuck because the Yang di-Pertuan Besar (Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir) would not entertain an audience for the formation of a new government,” he said.

“The best option is to allow Aminuddin to continue leading until the state assembly is dissolved, alongside Parliament.”

Umno’s political bureau announced that the party would continue backing the state unity government while respecting the stance taken by the 14 assemblymen who had withdrawn support for Aminuddin.

Negeri Sembilan Umno chief Jalaluddin Alias said their decision was linked to the ongoing crisis involving four chieftains seeking to remove Tuanku Muhriz as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

PN subsequently said it was willing to cooperate with BN to form a new state government. A combined BN-PN bloc would hold 19 of the 36 state seats, compared with PH’s 17.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said Negeri Sembilan Umno could also be using the withdrawal of support as a political manoeuvre to pressure PH and open a path to seizing the menteri besar post.

“Umno doesn’t just want to hold on. They are eyeing the opportunity to take over the MB post by pressuring PH.

“However, that approach reveals conditional support laced with political threats,” he said.