MELAKA: Barisan Nasional is expected to make way for potential allies in four constituencies as seat negotiations gather pace ahead of the Melaka polls.
A Barisan insider identified the seats as Bukit Katil, Bemban, Paya Rumput and Serkam.
“Barisan is expected to refrain from fielding its own candidates in these constituencies to allow partner parties to contest,” he told The Star on Thursday (Oct 8).
The insider said the proposed arrangement involved two seats narrowly won by Barisan in the 2021 state election — Paya Rumput and Serkam — along with Bukit Katil, which Amanah retained for Pakatan Harapan, and Bemban, which Bersatu won for Perikatan Nasional.
In Paya Rumput, Barisan’s Datuk Rais Yasin secured 6,830 votes to defeat Pakatan’s Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, who obtained 6,201, by a majority of 629.
Perikatan’s Muhammad Faris Izwan Mazlan received 3,972 votes, while independent candidate Mohd Jaini Dimon polled 127 and Putra’s Mohamad Hashidi Mohd Zin garnered 81.
Serkam saw an even closer contest, with Barisan’s Datuk Zaidi Attan retaining the seat with 5,038 votes, just 79 ahead of Perikatan’s Ahmad Bilal Rahudin, who secured 4,959.
Pakatan’s Muhammad Khomeini Kamal received 1,535 votes, while independent Norazlanshah Hazali obtained 99.
In Bemban, Perikatan’s Dr Mohd Yadzil Yaakub won with 4,211 votes, defeating Barisan’s Datuk Koh Chin Han, who garnered 3,883, by a majority of 328.
Pakatan’s Tey Kok Kiew received 3,095 votes, while independents Ng Choon Koon and Azmi Kamis obtained 850 and 130, respectively.
Bukit Katil was retained by Amanah’s Adly Zahari with 6,805 votes, giving him a majority of 1,057 over Barisan’s Datuk Hasnoor Sidang Husin, who polled 5,748.
Perikatan’s Muhammad Al Afiz Yahya secured 3,715 votes, while independent Abdul Hamid Mustapah received 109.
The insider said Bemban and Paya Rumput were expected to see multi-cornered contests in the coming election.
Datuk Azman Abidin, the Prime Minister’s political secretary and Federal Territories PKR chairman, has been tipped to contest Paya Rumput as a Pakatan candidate.
On Wednesday (Oct 7), Melaka Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the coalition was prepared to negotiate seat swaps with potential allies, but remained firm on contesting 21 seats.
He said Barisan was open to discussing which constituencies it would contest, provided its overall allocation remained equivalent to the number of seats it won in the 2021 state election.
Ab Rauf, who is the caretaker Melaka Chief Minister, said several constituencies were being discussed for possible swaps, with any exchange leaving the coalition’s total allocation unchanged.
The Election Commission has fixed Oct 31 as nomination day for the state election, Nov 14 as polling day and Nov 10 for early voting.
