Losing the Semenyih by-election is an embarrassment for Pakatan Harapan as Semenyih is the ruling coalition's seat, said political observer Peter Minos.

Minos, who is former PBB deputy publicity chief, said this by itself showed that Harapan had lost its popularity and that there was something "very wrong" in the coalition.

"It is actually expected because Harapan, after making so many promises in the last general election, turned out to be a party using and relying on lies.

"They have gone too far in not fulfilling their promises and so the voters got infuriated and voted against them, and to me Harapan is a failing party, if not already failed," he said.

Minos, who is the chairperson of Kota Samarahan Municipal Council, said other factors contributing to Harapan’s defeat in Semenyih were because there was no longer former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and his 1MDB and GST issues.

So, the voters turned their guns on Harapan's weaknesses and failures, he added.

Another reason, he said, was because of the Harapan cabinet members.

Harapan has ministers who are very arrogant whom people do not like, ministers with fake degrees and silly ideas, he added.

Minos said BN, on the other hand, used racial and religious issues and this saw PAS helping Umno on religious issues.

"Looks like Harapan is losing ground. Dr Mahathir Mohammad seems unable or unwilling to control his difficult and bad ministers," said Minos, adding that he anticipated Harapan would also lose in the next by-election in Rantau in Negeri Sembilan.

- Bernama