MELAKA: Winning enough seats to form the next Melaka government matters more to Datuk Seri Adly Zahari than talk of him returning as chief minister.
The Melaka Pakatan Harapan chairman played down questions about his political future after being named the coalition’s preferred candidate for the state’s top post.
Adly said his immediate priority was ensuring that Pakatan secured enough seats in the Nov 14 state election to form a government.
“We appreciate that view, but our focus today is to ensure that we win these state seats.
“We know that the process of forming a government depends very much on the number of seats we win,” he told a press conference here on Monday (Nov 2).
He was responding to a question about Pakatan election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari’s announcement on Sunday (Nov 1) naming him as the coalition’s preferred chief minister candidate should it secure a majority.
Adly, who served as Melaka chief minister from May 2018 until March 2020, did not directly address whether he would accept the nomination.
Instead, he stressed that the coalition’s candidates and election machinery must remain focused on winning voters’ support.
“Our task over these 14 days is to ensure that our candidates win.
“And there is only one thing that can deliver victory, which is the votes of the people of Melaka. That is our focus,” he said.
Adly said Pakatan was contesting 24 of Melaka’s 28 state seats, with particular attention being given to 18 constituencies identified as priorities.
The former chief minister is defending his Bukit Katil seat in a four-cornered contest.
He faces Muhammad Ridzuan Mohd Sarif of Perikatan Nasional, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) candidate Dr Aliza Che Amran and independent Abu Bakar Sabudin.
Adly said Pakatan had instructed its candidates and campaign machinery to intensify their efforts across all 24 constituencies.
He said candidates must engage voters on issues affecting their daily lives, including the cost of living, public infrastructure and accountability in managing public funds.
He also urged candidates to record complaints raised by constituents and ensure that matters which could be resolved during the campaign period were addressed without delay.
