Melaka seat talks crucial for BN-PN pact, says analyst

 If the two coalitions cannot agree on Melaka, they might not be able to agree on seats in Kelantan and Terengganu at the next general election.

Barisan Nasional holds 21 seats in the Melaka state assembly, while Perikatan Nasional has two, through PAS and Wawasan. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Negotiations between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional on seats to be contested at the coming Melaka state election will be a litmus test of their informal alliance, says a political analyst.

With BN declaring it would contest all its 21 seats, a failure to reach a compromise would have wider repercussions on the loose alliance, said Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

“If they can’t agree on seat negotiations in Melaka, how would they settle them in Kelantan and Terengganu (for the 16th general election)?” he told FMT, noting that BN was wiped out in Kelantan and Terengganu at the 2022 general election.

Mazlan said if the two coalitions cannot find common ground, Melaka voters can expect a three-cornered contest involving BN, PN and Pakatan Harapan for the 28 seats in the state assembly.

On Thursday PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party was unfazed by BN’s plans to defend the 21 constituencies won five years ago despite the risk of clashing with PN during seat negotiations.

He was confident any teething problems could be resolved amicably. It was vital for cooperation between BN and PN to continue, after the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.

Mazlan said the Melaka polls will be the real test for the BN-PN alliance, as PN would enter seat negotiations with the upper hand as it held the parliamentary seats of Jasin, Tangga Batu and Masjid Tanah, while BN has none.

However, BN won 21 state seats at the last Melaka polls, while PN only secured two through PAS. Mazlan said PAS “will not give up seats where it is strong”.

Separately, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara says while BN and PN will reach a compromise, the former will still defend its 21 seats, while the remaining seats will be left for PN to contest.

He said that seven seats for PN were “sufficient” in a state with only 28 constituencies.

“So I think both sides can find common ground. More importantly, BN and PN know they cannot afford to fight each other. If they do, Pakatan Harapan will be the biggest beneficiary.” - FMT