KUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE: Nearly 900,000 eligible voters in Negeri Sembilan could head to the ballot boxes on Saturday (Aug 1) in a state election widely seen as a high-stakes test for Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibahim and his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.All eyes will be on whether PH can rebound from a dismal performance in the Jul 11 Johor polls, retain a state where it is the incumbent, and fend off a challenge from a partner teaming up with a rival.PH is contesting all 36 seats in the Negeri Sembilan state legislative assembly. Its partner at the federal level, Barisan Nasional (BN), has fielded candidates in 25 of those seats in an alliance with opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), which is contesting the remaining 11 seats.Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), a PN member, is contesting in the election on its own and fielding 24 candidates, setting up contests against its coalition partners amid rifts within the opposition bloc. The PN-BN pact is widely seen as the clearest sign yet that the federal unity government may not last until the next general election, due by February 2028, even as BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi insists it will stick with Anwar's unity government until the current federal parliament's term ends.Analysts have said after losing ground in the Johor state election, another PH setback in Negeri Sembilan will pile pressure on Anwar to dissolve the federal parliament, paving the way for a snap general election.Retaining control of Negeri Sembilan would hand Anwar an equaliser, showing he can campaign effectively in a state led by a chief minister from his own party.