Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh has clarified that any seat negotiations between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional for the upcoming Melaka state election will focus solely on the two seats currently held by Perikatan Nasional.
The Merlimau assemblyman and Melaka executive councillor stressed that parties should retain the seats they won in the previous election.
He was responding to Melaka PKR chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin’s suggestion for PH and BN to strategise soon after the Sabah state election concludes.
“No need to complicate matters. Seats won by BN stay with BN. Discussions should only cover the two seats—Bemban and Sungai Udang,” Akmal said.
“If no agreement is reached, both sides can contest them.”
He pointed out that the November 2021 Melaka state election featured three-cornered fights despite the federal government alignment at the time, involving BN, PN, and coalitions from Sabah and Sarawak.
Akmal added that should BN and PH compete directly, the coalition securing the most seats would form the government and appoint the chief minister.
“If PH gains the majority, they rightly get the chief minister post,” he said.
The Melaka state assembly has 28 seats. In 2021, BN won 21, PH took five, and PN secured two.
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