Kuala Lampur, July 24 -- Politics is often described as the art of the possible. Yet there comes a point when political flexibility becomes so extensive that voters struggle to understand what exactly they are voting for. Negeri Sembilan may now be approaching that point.

The state election is no longer merely about choosing 36 members of the Legislative Assembly.

It has become a test of whether Malaysia is entering a new phase of politics in which coalitions can be assembled, dismantled and reassembled according to state boundaries rather than consistent national principles.

The latest confirmation that Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are cooperating only for the Negeri Sembilan election reinforces this impression. ...