PN to contest all seats in Melaka if talks with BN break down

Perikatan Nasional (PN) will contest every seat in the Melaka state election if it fails to reach an agreement with Barisan Nasional (BN), says Wawasan vice-president Rahim Thamby Chik.

Rahim, whose party is a PN component, said BN had yet to decide on a partner for the Melaka polls, although he was optimistic that talks could bear fruit.

“I think there’s still a chance to negotiate an alliance between BN and PN.

“But if BN refuses to cooperate with us and wants to go solo, then we will also go solo in Melaka. We will contest every state seat,” the Melaka Wawasan chief said, according to Utusan Malaysia.

The former chief minister said Wawasan specifically wanted to contest the Bemban and Sungai Udang seats, regardless of whether PN forms an agreement with BN.

Both seats were previously won by Bersatu, which remains a PN component but has fallen out with the coalition’s chair, PAS.

Utusan Malaysia also quoted a source as saying that the Melaka executive council meeting typically held on Wednesday had been brought forward by a day, fuelling speculation that the state assembly will be dissolved this week.

The source also said Melaka governor Ali Rustam signed the dissolution notice last week as he is overseas on official business.

BN has given its Melaka chairman, chief minister Ab Rauf Yusoh, the mandate to negotiate electoral cooperation with any party for the state election.

BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition’s chosen partner must be “sincere and honest”. Zahid also said that formal talks would only begin after the Melaka assembly is dissolved.

Zahid initially said BN and PN would work together in the Melaka state election following the two-thirds majority won by the alliance in the Negeri Sembilan polls.