Bersama aims to not lose deposits, win at least 1 seat in Melaka polls

Bersama has set several goals for the Nov 14 Melaka state election where it is fielding 16 candidates.

They are to win at least one seat, not lose election deposits, and garner a bigger chunk of votes in the urban and semi-urban areas.

Bersama leader Lee Chean Chung acknowledged the party’s heavy defeats in the Johor polls in July, where all 15 of its candidates lost their deposits, Utusan Malaysia reported.

However, Lee expressed confidence the party led by former PKR leaders like himself would fare better in Melaka, having made early preparations and announced its candidates in August.

“We were the first to announce our candidates, giving voters more time to evaluate them. All 16 candidates are locals or known by the local communities, and they comprise doctors, lawyers, corporate figures and entrepreneurs.

“So, our goal is tiered: first, we want to save our deposits in most of the seats we contest. That would prove Bersama has grassroots support.

“Second, we want to win at least one seat. Having one voice in the state assembly would be enough to show what kind of party we are.

“Third, and most important, we want to prove that voters in the urban and suburban areas, especially Chinese voters long deemed a ‘safe deposit’ (of Pakatan Harapan’s), are ready to vote for a third option,” he said.

Bersama is clashing with PH in 14 seats in the Nov 14 Melaka election, including all five seats the coalition won in 2021 – Ayer Keroh, Bukit Katil, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir.

Ayer Keroh, Bukit Katil and Kesidang have been identified as among the seats to watch, given their fairly even demographic of voters by ethnicity, the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional alliance potentially unifying Malay votes, and Bersama possibly splitting non-Malay votes.

Lee, a former PKR communications director and Petaling Jaya MP, said Bersama chose the 16 seats to contest in Melaka based on the profile of the voters and the strengths of its candidates.

He said PH should not blame Bersama if voters back the party, adding that the coalition should fulfill its election pledges instead of blaming other parties for giving voters more options.

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