Barisan Nasional Stands Firm On 21 Melaka Seats, Opens Door To Negotiations For Seven

BEIJING, Oct 15 – Barisan Nasional (BN) will defend all 21 state seats it won in the previous election while remaining open to negotiations regarding the remaining seven seats in next month’s Melaka state election.

BN Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi affirmed that the coalition has no intention of ceding any of its 21 incumbent seats to political partners or rival coalitions.

“Our principle is that the 21 seats we won are not up for sharing. If there are to be negotiations, they will only involve the other seven seats not held by BN,” Ahmad Zahid told a press conference in Beijing on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Ahmad Zahid, who is currently on a five-day working visit to China, serves as Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO President.

He added that he has empowered Melaka Chief Minister and state BN Chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh to finalize any local electoral cooperation arrangements following nomination day.

Election Framework and Historical Context

The upcoming Melaka state election follows the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly:

• 2021 Election Breakdown: In the November 2021 Melaka state election, BN secured a supermajority by winning 21 of the 28 seats in the State Legislative Assembly, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) won five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) claimed two.
• Key Election Dates: Following the dissolution of the State Assembly on September 23, the Election Commission (EC) set October 31 for nomination day, November 10 for early voting, and November 14 for polling day.
• Negotiation Scope: Any potential inter-party agreements or electoral pacts between BN and other coalitions will focus strictly on the seven seats currently held by non-BN parties.

Political coalitions are finalizing candidate lists and seat allocations ahead of nomination day on October 31.

–NMT