Akmal dares PH to go solo in Melaka polls

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has declared his intention to stand separately in the upcoming Melaka state election if the Barisan Nasional (BN) party opts to collaborate with the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Addressing the Umno Youth general assembly, Dr Akmal stated that PH should refrain from partnering with BN and instead contest all 28 seats in the election. He expressed eagerness for PH to face off against his party in the state polls.

The current Melaka government's mandate ends on December 31, necessitating an election within 60 days. On Monday, Ab Rauf Yusoh, BN's state chairman and chief minister, hinted at the possibility of dissolving the state assembly by the end of the month. However, he reiterated that BN remains open to discussions with any potential strategic partner, with a final decision pending the appropriate time.

Both PH and Perikatan Nasional are seeking to form an alliance with BN, which currently controls 20 of the 28 seats in the Melaka assembly. Despite being allies at the federal level, BN and PH severed their ties following the latter's decision to team up with Perikatan Nasional in Negeri Sembilan's state election, securing a two-thirds majority.