Akmal dares PH to go solo in Melaka polls

 Umno Youth chief says Pakatan Harapan can forget about working with Barisan Nasional in the next Melaka state election.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh previously vowed to sit out the Melaka state election if BN decides to work with PH for the polls.

PETALING JAYA:

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has challenged Pakatan Harapan to go solo and contest all 28 seats up for grabs in the next Melaka state election.

The Melaka executive councillor said PH can forget about working with Barisan Nasional in the state election, despite state BN chairman and chief minister Ab Rauf Yusoh keeping the door open to discussions.

“(PH should) forget about working with BN. Go ahead and contest all 28 seats.

“I really cannot wait for us to take on PH in all 28 seats in Melaka,” the Merlimau assemblyman said at the Umno Youth general assembly, according to Berita Harian.

The mandate of the current Melaka government expires on Dec 31, after which a state election must be held within 60 days.

On Monday, Rauf hinted that the state assembly could be dissolved by the end of this month, saying the dissolution could come in “two more Fridays”.

He has however reiterated that Melaka BN was open to talks with any potential strategic partner, with a final decision to be made only when the time comes.

Akmal previously vowed to sit out the state election if BN decides to work with PH for the polls.

Both PH and Perikatan Nasional are looking to strike a pact with BN, which currently holds 20 seats in the 28-member Melaka assembly.

PH and BN are allies at the federal level but their ties deteriorated after the latter formed a pact with PN in the Negeri Sembilan state election, resulting in a two-thirds majority win. - FMT