PH, Bersatu face uphill task to secure vote transfer in Melaka

In the final days before Melaka's elections on November 14, analysts express skepticism that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Bersatu can rebuild sufficient trust to secure a meaningful vote transfer. With PH contesting 24 seats against Bersatu's seven, they are set to face off in three contested constituencies: Kelebang, Ayer Keroh, and Pengkalan Batu.

Tawfik Yaakub, a political analyst from Universiti Malaya, notes that the historical animosity between the two sides, especially following the 2020 Sheraton Move, makes such a transfer challenging. PH supporters still harbor resentment towards the DAP, while Bersatu backers may be reluctant to support DAP candidates, who have long been criticized by them.

While moderate and pragmatic voters might be willing to overlook their grievances if preventing Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) from winning is deemed a priority, Yaakub believes any vote transfer between PH and Bersatu is unlikely to be substantial.

PH election director Amirudin Shari confirmed an agreement with Bersatu, under which PH is contesting 24 seats while Bersatu aims for seven, with three constituencies as contested battlegrounds. Adly Zahari, Melaka PH chairman, stated that supporters can vote for Bersatu candidates in non-competitive constituencies, but no direct directive has been issued.

Mazlan Ali, from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, is more optimistic about a vote transfer, estimating between 50% to 60% of supporters might choose candidates from the opposing party in contested constituencies. He believes the absence of an official announcement on cooperation would not necessarily hinder the transfer of votes, as election machinery from both parties can directly communicate instructions to supporters.