BN remains open to seat allocation negotiations for the Malacca state election, including possible seat swaps, provided they are conducted honestly and in good faith, coalition chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
According to Bernama, he said the guiding principle was that seats won by any party should be respected and not simply handed over to its political partners.
“As I have stated... Malacca Chief Minister (Ab Rauf Yusoh), who is also the Malacca BN chairperson, said that, as a matter of principle, in any negotiations, the position of any party that has won a seat must be respected.
“... but negotiations can be held for a ‘swap’ or exchange of seats, as long as the number of seats remains the same,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference yesterday, after officiating the Rungus Cultural Festival in Kudat, Sabah.
Zahid also said seat swaps could be negotiated in other states controlled by the respective parties, provided the arrangements were balanced.
“Our principle is that it is not impossible for the door to remain open for negotiations, but do not open it too wide, (and) do not shut the door too tightly,” he was quoted as saying.
Last week, Zahid said that BN will defend all the seats it previously won in the upcoming Malacca state election, the New Straits Times reported.
The coalition won 21 of 28 seats in the Malacca legislative assembly during the 2021 state polls.
Good-faith negotiations only
However, Zahid added that any form of cooperation would only be considered if negotiations were conducted in good faith and that any decision would be reached through consensus among all parties.
He also believed that BN’s “blue wave” could soon reach Putrajaya again, buoyed by the coalition’s double victories in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls, the Malay Mail reported.
Last Friday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang described Zahid’s statement that the coalition wants to retain all 21 state seats in Malacca as merely a personal view.
“That is a personal statement, and we are still discussing,” he told reporters after delivering his weekly religious lecture at Rusila Mosque, Marang.
Hadi added that negotiations over seat allocations between the state government’s component parties and Perikatan Nasional were still ongoing.
The Marang MP reiterated that the seat allocation negotiations would take various factors into account, particularly each party’s strength.
‘Let’s keep it off social media’
This morning, however, Rauf said that no formal negotiations had taken place with PAS to date.
“We have not had any formal negotiations yet. Not yet.
“But I hope we put political negotiations on social media on hold for a while. Let’s negotiate at the table, more wisely,” the New Straits Times reported him saying.
He called on all parties to approach the negotiations amicably, saying there should be room to discuss how they could work together and form a strong team to defend Malacca.
Rauf said the coming state election would be contested under a “BN Plus” framework, with BN prepared to engage with all parties through negotiations.
“We should negotiate properly. Not through social media, as it can create an unhealthy perception,” the Tanjung Bidara state assemblyperson said.
He said seat allocations remained undecided, with BN set to study and assess the matter before stating its position, including whether any proposed arrangement would be mutually beneficial to the parties involved.
Rauf also said Malacca’s political landscape cannot be assessed solely on parliamentary election results, pointing to BN’s efforts to regain public confidence and deliver the best possible services to the people.
Harapan open to talks, eyes more seats
Separately, Malacca Pakatan Harapan has signalled its willingness to explore political cooperation with any party ahead of the upcoming state election.
Its chairperson Adly Zahari said the coalition has yet to settle on an electoral formula or determine the number of seats it would contest, adding that two internal meetings had been held to date to assess Harapan's prospects, with preparations so far centred on discussions within the coalition.
“We have not finalised any form of cooperation outside Harapan itself, but we certainly welcome anyone who wants to hold negotiations,” Bernama reported him saying.
Adly said no discussions had yet been held with Malacca BN on cooperation, although Harapan is prepared to work with parties whose aspirations were compatible with its core principles and the values underpinning Malaysia Madani.
He said Harapan was also confident of improving on its previous performance in the state, when it secured five of the 28 seats in the assembly.
Adly reportedly said that the coalition is assessing its prospects based on its strength in the three parliamentary constituencies it holds; Alor Gajah, Kota Melaka and Hang Tuah Jaya, as well as in Tangga Batu, Masjid Tanah and Jasin.
Meanwhile, Malacca PKR acting chairperson Adam Adli Abd Halim said the state’s political landscape was distinct from that of other states governed under the coalition government.
He said this meant a range of factors would have to be considered when parties eventually enter negotiations.
“Formal negotiations with BN have not taken place yet, but communication and discussions are always ongoing. Whether individually or through party representatives with BN, we will look for ways to resolve this,” he added. - Mkini
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