Barisan Nasional (BN) Melaka will not negotiate potential political cooperation for the upcoming state election through social media, with all discussions to be conducted formally at party level.
Melaka BN chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the coalition would issue official letters to parties interested in working together, inviting them to present their proposed forms of cooperation.
He said the proposals would then be brought to the relevant party leadership levels before any decision is made.
“We do not need to negotiate through social media. We will issue official letters to all parties to present how they can become the best strategic partners, and we will bring the proposals to all levels for a decision,” he said.
The Melaka Chief Minister was speaking to reporters after officiating the National Environment Day Celebration 2026 at the national level, which was also attended by Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
Ab Rauf was responding to a call by Pakatan Harapan (PH) election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari for Melaka BN to be transparent about whether it was considering cooperation with other parties ahead of the state election.
Amirudin had said PH had no issue if BN was not interested in working together, but urged the coalition to make its position clear so PH could proceed with preparations for the Melaka election.
Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka UMNO liaison chairman, said BN did not want political negotiations to be conducted openly on social media as this could create different perceptions among voters.
“We are not closing the door completely, but neither are we opening it wide for negotiations,” he said.
