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BARISAN Nasional (BN) will only begin formal negotiations on political cooperation and seat allocation for the Melaka state election after the state assembly is dissolved, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka BN chairman, said the position was in line with an earlier decision by BN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We will open the door for negotiations after the state assembly is dissolved. There is no need to rush, negotiations will certainly take place soon.
“There are no formal negotiations before the state assembly is dissolved,” he said today.
Zahid, who is also UMNO president, was previously reported to have said informal discussions had begun between BN, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
However, he said decisions on seat allocations should preferably be made after the Melaka state assembly was dissolved.
Yesterday, PH election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was reported to have said the coalition had yet to receive any official decision on cooperation or seat allocations with BN for the state election.
He said discussions with Ab Rauf had so far been conducted online and had not reached the stage of formal negotiations.
The current term of the Melaka state assembly is scheduled to end fully by the end of December. -September 9, 2026
