The cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Melaka should be continued ahead of the upcoming state election following the success of the political arrangement in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, said Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad said the results achieved in both states showed that the cooperation formula had produced positive outcomes, with BN retaining Johor and regaining control of the Negeri Sembilan state government.
“In my personal view, after seeing the success of the understanding or partial understanding in Johor, I believe the cooperation can be continued,” he said when met at Karangkraf here on Thursday.
He explained that the arrangement in Johor was considered a partial understanding as PN contested 11 seats under its own name, but its leaders had also encouraged supporters to vote for BN in areas where PN did not field candidates.
BN and PN had previously cooperated during the Negeri Sembilan state election before forming the state government after winning 25 out of 36 state seats.
Ahmad said the cooperation in Negeri Sembilan was more comprehensive as there was no clash between BN and PN, allowing both coalitions to secure 25 seats collectively, with BN winning 18 and PN winning seven.
He believed that if both parties had contested against each other, the outcome would have been different as vote splitting could have affected their chances of forming the government.
Ahmad said the political situation in Melaka had also changed after Pakatan Harapan (PH) decided to withdraw from the state government.
He stressed that BN should not be blamed for not working with PH, as the decision to leave the state administration was made by PH itself.
Although PN currently has no representatives in the Melaka State Legislative Assembly after losing all contested seats, Ahmad said the coalition still has supporters who should be taken into consideration.
He said discussions with PN, which comprises PAS, Gerakan and Parti Wawasan Negara, should be carried out carefully before any decision is made.
On the possibility of an early dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly to pave the way for the state election, Ahmad said the matter would depend on the discretion of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
