(LIVE) 2026 Melaka State Election: BN claims victory in four seats including Ab Rauf’s Tanjung Bidara

Voters show their ink-stained fingers after casting their ballots in the 16th Melaka state election at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Notre Dame in Melaka on November 14, 2026. — Bernama pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Saturday, 14 Nov 2026 6:00 PM MYT

MELAKA, Nov 14 — Melaka voters cast their ballots today to elect a new state legislative assembly, in a high-stakes election that serves as a critical test of Barisan Nasional's (BN) traditional fortress and the increasingly strained federal partnership between it and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

A total of 675,166 eligible ordinary electors were registered to vote across 240 polling stations statewide, which operated from 8.00am to 6.00pm.

Turnout at 5pm had reached the 70 per cent target set by the Election Commission, which indicated that it expects initial ballot returns to arrive by around 9.30pm, with a comprehensive final tally anticipated before midnight.

The battle for the 28-seat state legislature drew a crowded field of 79 candidates. PH mounted the widest campaign by fielding 24 contenders, closely followed by BN with 23 candidates.

Newly formed outfit Parti Bersama Malaysia launched bids across 16 constituencies, while Bersatu and the Perikatan Nasional coalition contested seven and five seats respectively.

The Melaka showdown follows previous state polls in Johor and Negeri Sembilan where BN asserted its dominance, highlighting an awkward political reality where the two dominant coalitions clash as fierce rivals in state contests despite sharing power at the federal level in Putrajaya.

Political analysts view the election as a crucial bellwether for how the fragile BN-PH pact will hold up heading into the next general election.

The ballot box outcome will also provide the first tangible measure of public sentiment regarding the controversial transfer of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to house arrest. The court-sanctioned home detention order was executed just days before polling, dominating campaign rhetoric across the state and overshadowing localised municipal issues.