Question 1

1. Are BN and PN officially working together in the Melaka state election?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. As of early September 2026, BN has not formally announced a BN-PN electoral alliance for Melaka. BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has authorised Melaka BN chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh to negotiate with potential partners, while PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has said PN is open to negotiations.

Question 2

2. How many seats did BN and PN win in the 2021 Melaka election?

Accepted Answer

BN won 21 of the 28 Melaka state seats in the November 2021 election. Pakatan Harapan won five seats, while Perikatan Nasional secured two. The result gave BN a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.

Question 3

3. Why could BN-PN cooperation reduce three-cornered contests?

Accepted Answer

A seat agreement could prevent BN and PN candidates from competing against each other in selected constituencies, potentially reducing vote fragmentation. However, this does not guarantee victory because voters who previously supported one coalition may not automatically support a candidate from the other coalition.

Question 4

4. What do Melaka voters think about BN-PN cooperation?

Accepted Answer

In qualitative interviews conducted by The Future Research, some voters expressed support for BN-PN cooperation, particularly to avoid three-cornered fights. Others preferred BN working with PN rather than PH. These interviews should not be treated as representative polling of all Melaka voters.

Question 5

5. Could BN-PN cooperation in Melaka affect GE16?

Accepted Answer

Potentially, but the outcome would need to be interpreted cautiously. Melaka could show whether BN and PN can successfully negotiate seats and transfer voter support between their respective bases. However, GE16 covers a much broader electorate, so a formula that works in Melaka may not necessarily work nationwide.

BN-PN

BN-PN in Melaka: Could a New Political Formula Reshape the State Election?