DAP bangkit di Melaka, pertahan 4 kerusi

DAP managed to retain all four seats in Melaka during the PRN, yet failed to snatch three other contested seats. The Melaka outcome comes after a series of disappointing decisions for DAP in PRN campaigns in Sabah, Johor, and Negeri Sembilan, as it retained all four seats in Melaka despite failing to snatch three other state seats.

This decision allowed DAP to maintain control in Ayer Keroh, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana, and Bandar Hilir, while avoiding the seat erosion experienced by the party in the previous three PRNs. In Ayer Keroh, DAP retained the seat despite challenging incumbent Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Michael Gan Peng Lam from Gerakan. Former exco member Allex Seah Shoo Chin also held onto Kesidang after defeating Albert Kok from Wawasan, who also represented PN.

Two more seats were retained in Kota Laksamana by Low Chee Leong and Bandar Hilir by Leng Chau Yen. However, DAP failed to increase its tally as all three candidates who attempted to snatch seats held by the Barisan Nasional (BN) were unsuccessful. K Jegasilan lost to S Nadarajah in Gadek, while Jason Tze-Xi Nathan lost to Siti Aisyah Mahmood in Pengkalan Batu.

In Duyong, Poo Long Suan also failed to defeat incumbent Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem from BN. The Melaka performance at least gave DAP a breather after experiencing several poor decisions in PRN campaigns before this. In Sabah, DAP suffered a major defeat in November when it failed to win any of the eight contested seats. The same fate befell the party in PRN Johor in July, when it only won six seats compared to 10 in 2022, including losing its stronghold in Johor Jaya, Tangkak, Jementah, and Perling.

In Negeri Sembilan, DAP lost Chennah and Repah in August, reducing its seat count from 11 to nine. The loss in Chennah also saw DAP stalwart Loke Siew Fook's tenure end after 2013, as MCA's Siow Kong Choon replaced him in the constituency.