KUALA LUMPUR - The battle lines are drawn for the 16th Melaka state election, with 75 candidates already confirmed across the state’s 28 legislative assembly seats ahead of nomination day.
Five major political coalitions and parties have thrown their hats into the ring following candidate announcements that began as early as August.
The early bird was Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), which struck first by rolling out a slate of 16 contenders.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) followed with an expanded lineup. After initially naming 21 candidates on Oct 24, the coalition tacked on three more to contest 24 seats.
The coalition's seat-sharing formula hands 10 seats to PKR, seven to DAP, and seven to Amanah.
Barisan Nasional (BN) is entering the ring with 22 candidates, spearheaded by its dominant anchor Umno with 18 seats, alongside three from MCA and one from MIC.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) unveiled its initial roster of five candidates last night, tapping two from PAS, two from Wawasan, and one from Gerakan, while Bersatu is charting its own path with eight contenders.
The current lineup sets up a fierce electoral map:
13 straight fights (one-on-one showdowns)
11 three-cornered battles
4 four-cornered clashes
Election fever is already running high on the ground. As of Thursday night, 189 nomination forms had been snapped up, with 45 prospective candidates having already deposited their candidacy fees.
The Election Commission (EC) has designated Saturday, Oct 31, as nomination day, followed by early voting on Nov 10 and polling day on Saturday, Nov 14. - October 30, 2026
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