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PUTRAJAYA – All 21 seats won by BN in the Melaka State Legislative Assembly (DUN) previously will be defended in the upcoming 16th State Election, which is set to take place soon.
Its chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the intention was conveyed by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh himself, while describing the 'blue wave' momentum that began in Johor and continued in Negeri Sembilan as expected to keep moving into Melaka.
"The Chief Minister, as BN Melaka chairman, has informed us that he is determined to defend the position of all 21 seats won," he said at a press conference following the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) Monthly Assembly in Putrajaya on Thursday.
Earlier, in his speech, Zahid said the 'blue wave' that began in Johor and continued in Negeri Sembilan was expected to carry on into Melaka ahead of the sixteenth general election.
"Starting from Johor, it has spread to Negeri Sembilan and, God willing, to Melaka. I am not sure whether it will reach Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah but I will make sure it also reaches Perlis and other states.
"As a coalition party, we remain determined to secure support from all groups of the people who may want to change their political inclinations," he said.
Asked about the possibility of BN and Pakatan Harapan cooperation continuing in the Melaka state election, Zahid said discussions involving all parties would still be held before any political understanding was finalised.
"There will certainly be meetings between all parties and as stated by the Melaka Chief Minister, he is very open to this, and we, the BN central leadership, will be consulted to give the final say on any agreement or understanding reached in the discussions held between them," he said.
Analysts had previously predicted that the Melaka state election could be held as early as September this year, allowing BN to capitalise on the momentum from its wins in two consecutive state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
That timeframe was seen as most suitable for BN to continue its winning streak in the south of the peninsula, while also reinforcing voters' positive perception of the coalition.
