The results of Malaysia’s 15th General Election (GE15) should not be used as the sole basis for determining seat allocations if Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) reach an agreement to work together in the upcoming Melaka state election, said UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad said BN’s failure to secure any parliamentary seats in Melaka during GE15 did not necessarily reflect its prospects in a state election. He pointed to Johor as an example, where voter sentiment shifted significantly between the parliamentary election and the subsequent state polls.
At GE15, BN won only nine of the 26 parliamentary seats in Johor. However, the coalition later made a strong comeback at the Johor state election, winning 48 of the 56 state seats in July. Ahmad said the contrasting results showed that voters could make different choices depending on the type of election.
“PH was previously confident it could take Johor after winning 14 parliamentary seats in GE15, but the state election proved that voter sentiment at state and parliamentary levels can be different,” he said.
He therefore argued that past parliamentary results should not be treated as a definitive indicator when negotiating seat allocations or predicting the outcome of the Melaka state election. According to him, the political landscape can change considerably between elections.
Ahmad was commenting on remarks by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who was previously reported to have said BN and PN could reach a different form of understanding for the Melaka polls despite both coalitions recording strong performances in the Negeri Sembilan state election on August 1.
In Melaka, BN currently holds 20 of the 28 state seats, while the coalition did not win any parliamentary seat in the state during GE15. PH and PN each secured three parliamentary seats at the election.
Ahmad said any seat negotiations between BN and PN should instead be based on long-term cooperation, including recognising which party currently leads the respective state governments.
“In states governed by BN, it is reasonable for BN to be given an advantage. Likewise, PAS should receive an advantage in states under its administration.
“If both sides want this cooperation to last, they must give each other room in their respective states. That is how long-term understanding can be built,” he said.
Based on that approach, Ahmad believes BN should be given priority to defend the 21 of 28 Melaka state seats it won in the previous state election, while PAS should similarly receive consideration in states governed by the party.
He said this when met at the National Writers Association (PENA) Poetry Reading Night in conjunction with National Day 2026 at Rumah PENA last night. PENA president Dr Mohamad Saleeh Rahamad and 13th National Laureate Datuk Dr Zurinah Hassan were also present.
Ahmad, who is also Deputy Works Minister, meanwhile praised PENA for organising the event, describing it as an important platform for strengthening patriotism while preserving Malay literary heritage.
He said traditional forms such as poetry, syair, pantun and gurindam should not be sidelined as Malaysia pursues development, as they remain an important part of the nation’s cultural heritage that needs to be passed on to younger generations.
He also welcomed the participation of established and emerging writers, including young people, and hoped more politicians would visit PENA not for political purposes but to better understand the efforts of writers to preserve the nation’s cultural roots amid rapid development.
