MELAKA: Multi-cornered fights give Pakatan Harapan an edge in the Melaka polls, claims Adly Zahari.
The Melaka Pakatan chairman said contests with three or more candidates would not necessarily disadvantage the coalition but could offer it better chances than straight fights.
Adly said Pakatan’s experience in previous multi-cornered contests showed that a crowded field could provide more room to plan its strategy for victory.
"We cannot control other parties’ decisions to field candidates. What we can control is Pakatan’s own planning.
“Initially, we planned to contest 21 seats. After assessing our prospects, we decided on 24 because we believed this would give us greater potential to focus on securing victories for our candidates,” he told a press conference after a Pakatan media event in Ayer Keroh here on Friday (Oct 30)
Adly was asked about Pakatan’s decision to contest 24 of the 28 state seats, including four where it will face Bersatu, despite previously leaving open the possibility of cooperation under a proposed “PH Plus” arrangement.
The four seats are Klebang, Gadek, Ayer Keroh and Pengkalan Batu.
Asked whether the clashes reflected a failure of negotiations over PH Plus, Adly said the question did not arise as the decisions of each coalition should be respected.
“Whether there were negotiations or otherwise, and whether they succeeded or failed, will ultimately be judged by the outcome on Nov 14,” he said.
Adly, who is also Melaka Amanah chairman and Pakatan’s candidate for Bukit Katil, said the coalition’s choice of seats was guided by its own preparations and not influenced by other parties’ seat arrangements.
“How many seats Bersatu wants to contest is up to them.
“At the Pakatan level, we are fielding candidates in constituencies where we know we have made sufficient preparations,” he said.
Pakatan is targeting victory in 18 of the 24 seats it is contesting.
The Election Commission has set Nov 14 as the polling day, with early voting on Nov 10.
