Melaka votes as Anwar's coalition faces Umno-led pact in state poll
Polling favours the BN-PN alliance in the Malaysian state, where Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan is testing an informal tie-up with Bersatu.
Voters in the southern Malaysian state of Melaka went to the polls on Saturday, with pre-election surveys pointing to a heavy loss for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, the South China Morning Post and CNA reported.
Barisan Nasional (BN), Anwar's partner in the federal unity government, is contesting 23 of the 28 seats in a formal pact with Perikatan Nasional (PN), which is running in the other five. CNA reported the two coalitions joined forces to avoid splitting the Malay-Muslim vote, the same arrangement that won the Negeri Sembilan election convincingly on August 1. A party needs 15 seats to form government.
PH is contesting 24 seats. It is also testing an informal alliance with Bersatu, which has fielded candidates in seven, for the first time since Bersatu left the coalition in 2020. Bersama, a splinter party of Anwar's PKR, is running in 16 seats. CNA said 79 candidates are standing. At the 2021 state election, BN won 21 seats, PH five and PN two.
The outlets gave different turnout snapshots. CNA reported the Election Commission put turnout at 17.96 per cent at 10am, two hours after polling opened. The SCMP, citing the commission's online dashboard, said nearly 35 per cent of 669,211 eligible voters had cast ballots by about 11.30am, amid concern that forecast rain could keep people away. CNA, citing commission data, put registered voters at 687,697, of whom 47.34 per cent are aged 18 to 39.
Pollster ILHAM Centre said on Friday the BN-PN alliance held a commanding lead in 24 seats, with PH safe in only two and two others close, CNA reported. "The BN-PN narrative is anchored in identity politics that resonates strongly with the Malay electorate," the centre said. Political analyst James Chin wrote on Facebook that he expected BN-PN to win at least 24 seats.
The start of former prime minister Najib Razak's house arrest days before polling reopened tensions between PH and BN, CNA reported, with Umno leaders accusing those questioning the king's partial pardon of disrespecting the royal institution. Azmi Hassan of the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research told CNA: "I believe UMNO supporters will come out in droves, while the number of PH voters will reduce."
Of Melaka's 28 seats, 23 are Malay-majority. CNA, citing Free Malaysia Today, named Bukit Katil, where former chief minister Adly Zahari of PH is seeking a third term against three opponents, and Ayer Keroh, held by the DAP since 2008, as seats to watch. Bemban is one of four seats where PH and Bersatu have avoided a direct contest.
CNA reported that another convincing BN-PN win could see the pact push harder for an early general election, which must be held by February 2028. Universiti Sains Malaysia analyst Sivamurugan Pandian told The Star he expected turnout of 60 to 65 per cent.
Sources: South China Morning Post, Melaka election: Malaysians vote as Anwar’s PH seeks to stem Umno tide; CNA, Melaka heads to polls as Anwar's PH faces BN-PN pact in crucial test of Malay support.
