UMNO council to discuss Melaka election strategy, seat-sharing Aug 28

Barisan Nasional (BN) is set to deliberate its strategy for the upcoming Melaka state election, including potential cooperation with other parties and seat allocations. The crucial discussions will take place during the UMNO Supreme Working Council (MKT) meeting scheduled for August 28.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, an UMNO MKT member and Deputy Minister of Works, stated that the party's top leadership will make decisions after considering various viewpoints and formulas currently under discussion. The meeting, to be held at Menara Dato’ Onn, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, will serve as a platform to define BN's approach for the Melaka polls.

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What will happen in Melaka? We will wait for the discussions on August 28.

Ahmad Maslan indicated that the party might adopt a cooperation model similar to the one used in Negeri Sembilan, where BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) avoided contesting against each other in certain seats. In Negeri Sembilan, BN contested 25 seats and won 18, while PN contested 11 and won seven, leading to a coalition government. This contrasts with the Johor state election, where cooperation between BN and PN was limited, and PN candidates failed to win any seats.

The political landscape in Melaka has shifted following Pakatan Harapan's (PH) decision to withdraw from its cooperation with the state government. PH, which held five seats (four DAP and one Amanah), has signaled its unwillingness to remain allied with the current administration. Ahmad Maslan stressed that decisions on seat allocation and cooperation should not be rushed, as they involve fundamental party policies.

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In Negeri Sembilan, the understanding was 25:11. BN only contested 25, and in the 11 where PN contested, we did not compete. From the 25, BN won 18, while PN won seven. So, 18 plus seven became 25 and BN-PN governed. That was a complete understanding.