Pakatan Harapan (PH) is preparing for all possibilities in the upcoming Melaka state election, including contesting on its own if cooperation with Barisan Nasional (BN) does not materialise.
PH election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the coalition had yet to receive any official decision on cooperation or seat allocations with BN for the polls.
He said PH was fully prepared to contest without BN should that become the outcome.
“As of today, there is nothing official yet. If there is cooperation, we proceed with it. If not, we will see whether we face each other or not,” Amirudin told reporters at NCT Smart Industrial City today.
He said discussions with Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh had so far been conducted online and had not progressed to formal negotiations.
“This matter was raised, and they expressed readiness to discuss. We agreed to talk, but no specific date or time has been set,” he said.
Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka BN chairman, had previously hinted that the Melaka State Legislative Assembly could be dissolved by the end of this month.
Speaking at an event in Sungai Udang yesterday, Ab Rauf said the dissolution could take place within “two Fridays”.
Amirudin, however, described the timeline as speculation, noting that the final decision on dissolving the state assembly rests with the Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
“How many Fridays does two Fridays mean? If one Friday has passed, then it becomes three Fridays. We shall see, as these are all hints,” he said.
“Regardless, it is his prerogative as Chief Minister, subject to the approval of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.”
With the election potentially approaching within a tight timeframe, Amirudin said PH was stepping up preparations for various scenarios, including the possibility of facing a different political landscape from previous state elections.
He also joked that the worst-case scenario for a political party would be not contesting at all, saying a party should not exist if it does not contest elections.
