Marginal seats a key bargaining chip in Melaka seat swap talks
An analyst says BN is likely to remain adamant about getting 21 seats, but it may agree to give up some it won narrowly in 2021 in exchange for seats won by PN on similarly thin margins.
Melaka may be the focal point of negotiations, but a coalition between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) remains uncertain. Smaller constituencies with narrow wins are seen as potential bargaining chips in any seat exchange deal between the two parties. BN currently holds 21 seats, giving it a strategic advantage, while PN has more to gain from the negotiations.
According to Hisommudin Bakar, BN is more likely to negotiate a seat swap, as PN would not want to relinquish its safer seats. BN's chairman, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has expressed openness to discussions with other political groups, including Pakatan Harapan (PH), for a coalition in Melaka. However, PN is unlikely to secure all the seats it desires, as BN's traditional strongholds in the state make such a deal difficult.
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- Marginal seats a key bargaining chip in Melaka seat swap talks freemalaysiatoday.com
