Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state was pushed deeper into crisis after Barisan Nasional (BN), a key ally in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government, declared it had secured a simple majority to form a new state administration with the opposition.

The move turns an extraordinary palace dispute into the sharpest state-level test yet of Anwar’s fragile ruling alliance, ahead of a national poll due in less than two years.

BN, the former ruling coalition led by Umno that ruled Malaysia for six decades until its shock defeat in 2018, is now partners with Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) at both the federal level and in Negeri Sembilan.

The declaration came after the five state assemblymen from opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) said they were prepared to work with BN’s 14 representatives to ensure the “stability” of the state government. This would give the bloc 19 seats in the 36-member assembly – the bare minimum needed to govern.

BN’s Negeri Sembilan chapter said it welcomed the opposition’s offer and was ready to put aside partisan differences in what it described as an “extraordinary situation”.

“The interests of the people of Negeri Sembilan are above all party interests. We are big-hearted enough to set aside ideological differences to ensure a stable government can be formed immediately,” it said in a statement late on Monday.