PRN Melaka: Penganalisis pilih Adly ‘poster boy’ PH

Adly Zahari, who served as Melaka's Chief Minister from 2018 to 2020, has been chosen as the "poster boy" by Pakatan Harapan (PH) for Melaka's PRN vote on November 14. This decision is attributed to his successful track record as a Malay-Muslim leader, who managed to retain his seat during PRN 2021, claims Mazlan Ali, an analyst from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

His 2018 to 2020 tenure as Chief Minister garnered him a reputation as a performer, with policies and governance distinct from the BN's previous administration. "I believe he is the most suitable and deserving candidate for PH to showcase as the poster boy," he told FMT. Known for his reformist approach, Adly maintains discipline in administration while striving to improve the quality of life for the people and strengthen Melaka's economy.

This analysis comes in response to the timely suggestion made by the Deputy Chief of the Federal Territories, Hayatul Kamil, who called for Adly to be named PH's poster boy for Melaka. Hayatul drew from Adly's experience as Chief Minister of Melaka as a major strength. James Chin, an analyst from the University of Tasmania, also sees Adly as a suitable choice, given his generally scandal-free tenure, helping to build a positive perception of his governance.

"People perceive Adly's administration to be free from any major drama," he said. However, Chin warns that personal charisma alone may not be enough to overcome the electoral advantage held by Umno and PAS if they join forces. He noted that a coalition between Umno and PAS could maintain a strong Malay voter bloc, making it difficult for PH.

Chin also stated that BN could win 22 or 23 out of 28 DUN seats, though he did not predict the combined ticket would achieve the 25-seat target, citing a former DAP MP, Ong Kian Ming, as an example. The decision largely depends on whether Umno and PAS continue to support each other, while PH still needs to present a clear strategy for their vote.

During the last PRN Melaka, BN won 21 seats, while PH secured 5, and Perikatan Nasional had 2. Former Umno MP, Jailani Khamis, later joined PAS before switching parties. On October 13, Ong predicted BN could increase its seat count to 24 or 25, potentially surpassing PH, including Adly's seat and a DAP seat in Ayer Keroh.