On the trail of the Negeri Sembilan campaign

Instead of hereditary succession, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan is elected by four local chieftains from among the state’s royals.The chieftains proclaimed a challenger, while state and federal leaders stood by the incumbent.This eventually led to the dissolution of the state assembly and the calling of snap polls on Aug 1.The system may be ancient, but it has modern-day consequences at the ballot box and beyond.The Yamtuan, as he is known, stepped out of his black multi-purpose vehicle and was ushered inside, shaded by a yellow umbrella – the royal colour – held aloft by an aide.As he left the mosque after prayers, the crowd shouted “Daulat Tuanku!”, meaning “Long Live Tuanku”.The mosque can accommodate 1,500 worshippers, and it was a “full house or even more” that day, said Abdul Aziz, the muezzin – or bilal, in Malay – who performs the call to prayer.But after years of financial mismanagement, dashed hopes and a government bailout in 2019, that is no longer the case.To further complicate matters, while BN is part of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan or PH-led government at the national level, it is cooperating with the opposition Perikatan Nasional at the state level.The former school teacher, who goes by Cikgu Zainal, said he would work to bring in investors to open food, furniture and other small factories so young people would not have to move away to find work.“If I win here, I promise to solve their problems,” he said.He reckons the older generation will likely stick with BN’s UMNO for its emphasis on protecting Malay interests. Nazmi said he might vote for PH.He is tired of the “sentimen kaum” – racial sentiment – on social media. “I just hate it,” he said. “Just live together lah.”Transportation is a hot issue here.Cranes hovered above the clock tower at the old Seremban railway station, which dates back to 1910. Construction is in full swing on a new RM100 million (S$31.5 million) station building that is set to open in 2027.She is pursuing a diploma in textile and clothing design at a university in nearby Kuala Pilah. She said that it is tough – “susah” – being a student. “Food is expensive.”She has not decided who to vote for. The government, she said, should “take (better) care of its people, the poor and the needy”.Indeed, the rising cost of living is a concern for many.Trays of 30 “Grade C” eggs were going for RM8.10 instead of RM9.30, and 5kg bags of imported white rice were RM13.20 instead of the usual RM17.50.One woman browsed the range of fabric softeners.“Hmm,” she said to no one in particular. “Takde Downy,” she noted, lamenting the lack of the popular brand of fabric softener.Westward, on the coast, the once-vibrant resort town of Port Dickson is looking a bit run-down.Nearby loomed the skeleton of an abandoned development, its beams and columns standing without walls or a roof. The ground floor had turned into a place to park boats and jet skis.Over the years, successive governments have promised to revive the local economy, and there are currently plans for a free trade zone and an artificial intelligence-powered container port, among other projects. But that is still in the future.For now, at least, there is an evening by the beach to enjoy. And another selfie to take.Chen May Yee (@mayyee.chen on Instagram) is a Malaysian journalist and sketch artist and former copyeditor at The Straits Times.