Melaka polls: Combined BN-PN strength does not guarantee victory, says Pas leader

ALOR GAJAH: Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional supporters must not be complacent and assume victory is assured in the Melaka election despite the combined strength of the two coalitions, Pas information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said.

He said supporters must remain vigilant and turn out in large numbers to ensure BN candidate Datuk Zulkiflee Mohd Zin wins the Taboh Naning seat during the polling day this Saturday.

Fadhli said while the combined support for BN and PN could deliver a comfortable victory, complacency could give Pakatan Harapan an opportunity to make a late comeback.

"What we do not want is for everyone across Melaka, from A to Z, to say, 'We are definitely going to win on Saturday.' We must not think that way.

"True, if we combine the strength of BN and PN, we can win comfortably.

"But we must not become complacent because PH may still have something up its sleeve at the last minute, something we are unaware of," he said at the BN-PN Gelombang Biru programme at the BN operations room in the Rantau Panjang polling district centre here last night.

Also present were Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan and Zulkiflee.

Fadhli urged Pas members and PN supporters in Taboh Naning to turn out in full force, pointing out that more than 3,000 voters had supported PN in the 2022 general election.

"We want to ensure they come out in large numbers, just as they did when PN and Pas contested here," he said.

He also predicted that Zulkiflee could secure a majority of between 5,000 and 6,000 votes if supporters of both coalitions turned out in large numbers on polling day.

"I estimate that Datuk Zul could win with a majority of between 5,000 and 6,000 votes on Saturday," he said.

Meanwhile, Fadhli appealed to voters living outside Melaka, particularly those in Kuala Lumpur and overseas, to return home to cast their ballots.

He said the assumption that BN and PN were certain to win could discourage outstation voters from making the trip home, potentially affecting the outcome.

"When we become complacent and feel that it is not important to turn out and vote, voters living outside the area, particularly those in Kuala Lumpur or overseas, may assume that BN and PN are certain to win in Melaka and decide not to return.

"My message is for those living outside Melaka to come home and vote," he said.