Friends, foes and four awkward clashes: Who’s teaming up with whom in the Melaka polls?

The Melaka state election on November 14 will see shifting political alliances, with BN and PN joining forces while PH and Bersatu explore cooperation despite competing in four constituencies. — Bernama pic

By Muhammad Yusry

First Published: Saturday, 31 Oct 2026 7:00 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Former rivals Umno and PAS are joining forces to contest the Melaka state election, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Bersatu are exploring an electoral understanding — despite preparing to fight each other in four constituencies.

The unusual political arrangements have set the stage for a contest marked by shifting alliances, strained relationships and unfinished electoral deals.

Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are hoping to repeat their successful cooperation in Negeri Sembilan, where they secured a two-thirds majority in August.

Their seat-sharing negotiations in Melaka have continued right up to nomination day, with MCA securing a fourth constituency following further discussions between the two coalitions.

PH, meanwhile, is seeking common ground with Bersatu even as the latter’s relationship with its PN partners, particularly PAS, continues to deteriorate.

With nominations taking place today ahead of polling on November 14, here is how the alliances are shaping up and what they could mean for Melaka.

BN-PN: United for Melaka

The clearest electoral arrangement in Melaka is between BN, led by Umno, and PN, with PAS playing a central role in the cooperation.

The partnership follows the August 1 Negeri Sembilan state election, where BN and PN agreed not to contest against each other, allowing supporters of either coalition to back a common candidate.

BN won 18 of the 36 seats, while PN secured seven, giving the two coalitions a combined 25 seats and a two-thirds majority in the state assembly. PH, which previously governed the state, was reduced to 11 seats.

The result marked the first electoral success for their cooperation, prompting both coalitions to extend the arrangement to Melaka.

The understanding has since taken shape under the name Muafakat Melaka, bringing together BN, PN and non-governmental organisations in an effort to consolidate support ahead of the election.

Under the seat-sharing arrangement, BN has announced 23 candidates, comprising 18 from Umno, four from MCA and one from MIC.

PN, meanwhile, has named five candidates — two each from PAS and Parti Wawasan Negara, and one from Gerakan.

The arrangement effectively puts Umno and PAS on the same electoral side, allowing both parties to avoid splitting the Malay vote by fielding competing candidates.

It also marks a shift from previous elections, when the two parties contested against each other despite their earlier cooperation under Muafakat Nasional.

For BN, the partnership allows it to retain a larger share of constituencies while benefiting from PAS’ support among conservative Malay voters. For PN, it offers a chance to contest without facing Umno candidates in the same seats.

PH-Bersatu: Allies or rivals?

On the other side, PH has been exploring an electoral understanding with Bersatu under what has been described as PH Plus, although both sides remain at odds over several constituencies.

The discussions emerged amid Bersatu’s deteriorating relationship with its PN partners, particularly PAS, following disagreements over leadership, internal decision-making and electoral cooperation.

Those tensions became more apparent during the Negeri Sembilan election, when Bersatu contested independently rather than joining PN’s seat-sharing arrangement with BN.

Although still associated with PN, Bersatu was excluded from the BN-PN electoral understanding and lost all 24 seats it contested, weakening its electoral position.

Against this backdrop, PH began exploring the possibility of working with Bersatu in Melaka.

On September 19, PH Melaka chairman Adly Zahari confirmed that negotiations were being held with parties sharing similar aspirations, including Bersatu, following a decision by the PH Presidential Council to explore wider cooperation.

PH election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari subsequently described PH Plus as an electoral understanding rather than a new political coalition, suggesting that any cooperation would be limited to elections rather than a permanent alliance.

Speculation about closer ties gained further attention after Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and several opposition MPs signed a confidence and supply agreement (CSA) with the federal government on October 29, committing to support Budget 2027.

The agreement also provides for constituency development allocations for Bersatu MPs equivalent to those received by government backbenchers, alongside proposals for institutional reforms.

While the agreement was seen as a possible thaw in relations between Bersatu and the PH-led government, Muhyiddin stressed that it had nothing to do with an electoral pact for the Melaka polls.

Despite the talks and the CSA signing, Bersatu announced eight candidates on Thursday, including four in constituencies also being contested by PH.

The four seats are Klebang, Gadek, Ayer Keroh and Pengkalan Batu.

Bersatu will face PKR in Klebang, while its candidates will go up against DAP in Gadek, Ayer Keroh and Pengkalan Batu.

It will also face PN candidates in Ayer Keroh and Bemban, further highlighting divisions between the former allies.

Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali described the overlapping contests as healthy competition, saying each party had its own considerations when deciding which seats to contest.

He said Bersatu had decided to defend its seats in Sungai Udang and Bemban while targeting other constituencies where it believed it had a chance of winning.

Bersatu has also confirmed that it will use its own party logo in the election.

PH, meanwhile, has expanded its original allocation from 21 to 24 seats, with PKR contesting 10 and DAP and Amanah seven each.

The overlapping contests underline the limits of the proposed PH Plus arrangement, raising questions about how the two sides could reconcile their competing interests should their candidates win seats.

For now, PH and Bersatu appear to be exploring cooperation at a broader political level without a fully coordinated electoral pact in Melaka.

What is at stake in Melaka?

The last Melaka state election in 2021 saw BN secure a commanding victory, winning 21 of the 28 seats, while PH won five and PN two.

However, the state’s federal parliamentary representation paints a different picture.

Of the six parliamentary constituencies covering Melaka, PH and PN each hold three seats, while BN has none.

The contrast highlights the different levels of support enjoyed by the political groupings and the stakes involved in the coming contest.

For BN and PN, the election will test whether their cooperation can translate into stronger support at state level and replicate their success in Negeri Sembilan.

For PH, it presents an opportunity to regain ground after setbacks in recent state elections, while testing whether closer ties with Bersatu could improve its appeal among Malay voters.

Bersatu, meanwhile, faces the challenge of rebuilding its electoral fortunes after its poor showing in Negeri Sembilan, even as it navigates its strained relationship with PN and its tentative understanding with PH.

Analyst predicts commanding BN-PN victory

Political analyst and Nusantara Strategic Research Academy senior fellow Professor Azmi Hassan believes the BN-PN partnership is likely to secure an overwhelming victory, drawing comparisons with the recent elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

He said Malay voters who had previously distanced themselves from PAS or Umno could return in greater numbers now that the two parties were no longer competing against each other.

“Malay voters who previously distanced themselves from PAS or Umno will now come out in droves to support this cooperation. Given that scenario, I think it will be an overwhelming victory for Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional,” he told Malay Mail.

Azmi pointed to voting patterns in Johor and, more notably, Negeri Sembilan, where there were indications that PAS supporters had backed Umno candidates in constituencies where the two parties were not competing against each other.

However, he questioned Bersatu’s decision to contest four constituencies against PH despite ongoing discussions between the two sides.

“It’s very odd that Bersatu remains adamant about contesting the four seats where Pakatan Harapan is also fielding candidates.”

Azmi suggested PH could be using the proposed cooperation to test whether Bersatu could help attract Malay voters to its candidates, particularly those from DAP.

“But again, I think Pakatan is testing the waters to see whether cooperation with Bersatu could help attract Malay voters to Pakatan candidates, particularly those from DAP.”

Ultimately, the Melaka election will test whether the BN-PN partnership can repeat its Negeri Sembilan success, while offering an indication of whether PH’s efforts to widen its electoral cooperation can help it regain ground among Malay voters.