BN-Perikatan cooperation may not translate into full voter support, says Melaka Pakatan chairman

Melaka, November 8 — The potential collaboration between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) during the 16th Melaka state election may not guarantee full voter support for either side, according to Melaka Pakatan chairman Adly Zahari. The state PH chairman suggested that supporters of both coalitions might not entirely embrace the cooperation, and new voters could also impact the election's outcome.

Adly explained that in previous elections, some voters had chosen PN over BN due to their preference for not supporting BN, which could affect their existing support base. He also mentioned that the cooperation's success in transferring votes could vary, potentially being as low as 50% in Melaka, compared to a previous 70% recorded in Negeri Sembilan.

Additionally, the nearly 4,000 new voters in Bukit Katil, a mixed constituency with Malays, Chinese, and Indians, could influence voting patterns, as many had no strong allegiance to any political party. Adly emphasized that playing on racial and religious sentiments was unlikely to secure votes from voters divided among several parties.

He highlighted his eight-year tenure as the Bukit Katil assemblyman as an advantage, stating his goal to increase Malay support for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the upcoming election, which had already surpassed 27% in the previous one. Adly is competing against PN candidate Muhammad Ridzuan Mohd Sarif, Dr Aliza Che Amran from Parti Bersama Malaysia, and independent candidate Abu Bakar Sabudin in a four-way race for the seat.

The Election Commission has scheduled early voting for November 10 and the polling day for November 14. For the latest updates on the 16th Melaka state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/.