BN weighs yielding four Melaka seats to allies

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 9, 2026

Barisan Nasional is considering giving four Melaka state assembly seats—Bukit Katil, Bemban, Paya Rumput, and Serkam—to allied parties as part of negotiation strategies ahead of the upcoming state election. This potential seat reallocation aims to strengthen coalition chances in closely contested constituencies, with nomination day set for October 31 and polling on November 14.

Barisan Nasional (BN) is considering ceding four state assembly seats in Melaka to its allied parties as negotiations intensify ahead of the upcoming Melaka state election. An insider within the coalition said BN may opt not to field candidates in Bukit Katil, Bemban, Paya Rumput, and Serkam, instead supporting its partners to enhance their winning prospects.

In the previous 2021 state polls, BN narrowly won both Paya Rumput and Serkam. Datuk Rais Yasin secured Paya Rumput with 6,830 votes, a margin of 629 over Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, who received 6,201 votes. Perikatan Nasional’s Muhammad Faris Izwan Mazlan trailed with 3,972 votes in that constituency.

The Serkam seat was one of the closest contests, with BN’s Datuk Zaidi Attan retaining it by just 79 votes more than Perikatan’s Ahmad Bilal Rahudin. Zaidi amassed 5,038 votes, compared to Ahmad Bilal’s 4,959. Pakatan’s Muhammad Khomeini Kamal garnered 1,535 votes there.

In Bemban, Perikatan’s Dr. Mohd Yadzil Yaakub won against BN’s Datuk Koh Chin Han by a margin of 328 votes, polling 4,211 to Koh’s 3,883. Pakatan candidate Tey Kok Kiew collected 3,095 votes. Meanwhile, Bukit Katil was held by Amanah’s Adly Zahari from Pakatan Harapan, who secured 6,805 votes, defeating BN’s Datuk Hasnoor Sidang Husin by 1,057 votes.

The insider indicated that multi-cornered fights are expected in Bemban and Paya Rumput in the forthcoming election. Datuk Azman Abidin, political secretary to the Prime Minister and Federal Territories PKR chairman, is rumored to be Pakatan’s candidate for Paya Rumput.

Melaka BN chairman and caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh acknowledged that discussions over seat swaps with potential allies such as PAS and Wawasan are underway. However, he emphasized that BN plans to contest 21 seats overall, and any exchanges would maintain BN’s total seat allocation.

The Election Commission has set Oct. 31 as the nomination day for the Melaka polls. Polling is scheduled for Nov. 14, with early voting to take place on Nov. 10. These developments come as political parties prepare for a competitive state election amid shifting alliances and strategic seat allocations.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.