KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 1): In one of the biggest upsets of the Negeri Sembilan state election, DAP secretary general Anthony Loke has lost the Chennah (N.01) state seat, according to unofficial Election Commission (EC) counts.

Unofficial results show Loke polling 5,060 votes in a straight fight against Barisan Nasional’s (MCA) Siow Kong Choon (John), who secured 5,593 votes — a margin of 533 votes.

While the EC has yet to make an official declaration, Loke appears to have already conceded defeat, according to a video circulating on social media.

The loss ends Loke’s 13-year tenure as the assemblyman for Chennah, a seat he had represented continuously since first winning it in 2013.

Chennah was one of the election’s most closely watched battlegrounds as Loke sought a fourth consecutive term.

The contest became far more competitive after BN entered into an electoral understanding with Perikatan Nasional (PN) — a strategy analysts noted would consolidate Malay support behind BN and eliminate vote-splitting in the constituency, where Malays make up 47.8% of the electorate.

Loke himself had acknowledged the tough road ahead during the campaign, openly describing Chennah as a "50-50" seat despite his deep roots and personal popularity in the area.

Find out all you need to know about the 2026 Negeri Sembilan election here.