KUALA LUMPUR – Transport Minister and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has suffered a surprise defeat in the Chennah state constituency, according to unofficial results from the Negeri Sembilan state election.
The outcome marks a major upset for Pakatan Harapan (PH), with Chennah regarded as one of DAP’s traditional strongholds. Loke had held the seat since 2013 and was contesting the constituency for the fourth consecutive time in the state polls.
The Seremban MP has been one of PH’s key figures in Negeri Sembilan, playing a prominent role in the coalition’s election campaign.
His defeat represents a significant setback for DAP, which has traditionally relied on strong support in urban and mixed constituencies. The result also comes as a surprise given Loke’s position as a senior Cabinet minister and the party’s national secretary-general.
According to unofficial results, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Siow Kong Choon, who is also MCA Youth chief, defeated Loke by a majority of 450 votes.
In the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election, Loke retained the Chennah seat with 5,888 votes, defeating Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Rosmadi Arif, who received 3,688 votes. Loke won with a majority of 2,200 votes.
During the 2018 general election, Loke retained Chennah with 5,031 votes, defeating MCA’s Seet Tee Gee, who polled 3,876 votes, and PAS’ Jamalus Mansor, who received 975 votes. He secured the seat with a majority of 1,155 votes.
The Negeri Sembilan state election saw all 36 state seats contested, with PH, BN and PN vying for control of the state. – August 1, 2026