Pakatan Harapan (PH) has suffered another major electoral defeat in the Melaka state election, its fourth consecutive setback following the state polls in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
PH fielded 24 candidates instead of contesting all 28 seats and formed an electoral alliance with former ally Bersatu, which contested seven constituencies.
The coalition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, won only four seats, down from the five it secured in the 2021 election.
Bersatu was wiped out, losing all seven seats it contested, including four against other parties and three in direct contests with PH partners.
DAP remains PH’s strongest component
Among PH’s component parties, DAP emerged as the strongest, repeating its performances in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.
DAP won all four seats it contested, while Amanah lost its sole seat and PKR once again failed to win any, as it did in 2021.
DAP comfortably retained the Chinese-majority strongholds of Bandar Hilir and Kota Laksamana, as well as its mixed-seat strongholds of Kesidang and Ayer Keroh.
Amanah, however, suffered a major setback when its vice-president Adly Zahari, a former chief minister, lost Bukit Katil to PAS candidate Ridzuan Sarif after representing the constituency for two terms.
Adly, who served as chief minister from 2018 to 2020, was PH’s most prominent candidate and its choice for the chief minister’s post.
His defeat in the mixed constituency, where Malays make up about 64% of voters, reflected PH’s broader struggle to counter the consolidation of Malay votes by the BN-PN alliance.
PKR also recorded another disappointing performance despite contesting the most seats among PH’s component parties, as it had in the Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Sabah state elections.
PH-Bersatu electoral pact fails to make impact
The electoral understanding between PH and its former ally Bersatu lacked direction and commitment, making little impact on the results.
One possible factor was internal opposition within PKR to working with Bersatu, given the party’s role in the Sheraton Move, which led to the collapse of the PH-led federal government in 2020.
The Melaka results are likely to fuel calls for an early general election. However, it remains to be seen how PH intends to counter the Malay unity narrative promoted by BN and PN.
BN’s landslide victory in the 2021 Melaka state election did not translate into a win in any of the state’s six parliamentary constituencies in the 2022 general election.
That could change at the next parliamentary polls following the formation of the BN-PN alliance, which has brought the two coalitions together in an effort to consolidate Malay votes.
Adly admits he failed to retain Bukit Katil
Adly said he was not surprised by his defeat, admitting that he had failed to retain the Bukit Katil seat.
The Melaka PH chairman said he had been trailing by a considerable margin in the days leading up to polling day.
“I tried to close the gap but there wasn’t enough time,” he said at a press conference tonight, where he conceded defeat.
He lost to PN’s Ridzuan in a straight fight.
Adly first won Bukit Katil in the 2018 election with a majority of 3,159 votes in a three-cornered contest. He retained the seat in 2021, but his majority fell to 1,057 votes in a four-cornered fight.
His defeat had been predicted by former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming, who said yesterday that PH would lose Bukit Katil following what he described as a ‘lacklustre’ election campaign.
Adly said PH would review the results at its next presidential council meeting and examine the voting patterns of younger voters.
“We will examine our performance and prepare for the next general election,” he said.
