.png)
SHAH ALAM – Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Ridzuan Sarif won the N.17 Bukit Katil state seat with a majority of 6,607 votes in the 16th Melaka state election, today.
Ridzuan secured 15,305 votes, defeating Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate and Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari, who received 8,698 votes.
Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) candidate Dr Aliza Che Amran came third with 1,119 votes, while independent candidate Abu Bakar Sabudin, who contested under the key symbol, received 115 votes.
The defeat was among the setbacks for PH in the election, with the coalition winning only four of the 24 state seats it contested, according to unofficial results.
Following the outcome, Adly said PH would take the results as an opportunity to review its electoral performance and work towards rebuilding public confidence.
He said the coalition respected the voters' decision, adding that election outcomes were influenced by different factors and could provide lessons for future contests.
Adly also indicated that PH's performance in Melaka would be examined by the coalition's Presidential Council as part of a wider assessment of its electoral record, including its previous performances in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
He acknowledged that the results would require the coalition to reflect on its weaknesses and identify areas that needed improvement.
The Melaka election saw BN secure 21 of the 28 state seats, while PN won three and PH took the remaining four, giving BN and PN a combined 24 seats in the State Legislative Assembly.
