MALACCA Pakatan Harapan (PH) is open to the idea of rival parties joining forces with the coalition in forming a new state government after the elections on November 20, state PKR chief Halim Bachik said.

However, despite the overture, he said he was confident that PH would be able to secure a large majority, even in the face of stiff challenges from Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional in all 28 seats.

He also said that parties wanting to join PH must adhere to its way of administrating the state.

“We can work together. We will wait (for election results), but the condition is they must follow PH ruling and follow our policies,” he told The Malaysian Insight in an interview recently.

“I’m confident that we can win the elections, but we have to work very hard,” said Halim, who is not nominated as a candidate by his party.

Yesterday, while launching the BN manifesto, deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan also said his coalition was agreeable to the idea but maintained that BN must be the core in any new state administration.

He said that without stability, the state government’s position is under threat at any time.

“After forming the government, if there are friends who want to reach out to us, we will accept them. There is no issue, the more the merrier,” he said at the launch.

BN is pitching incumbent Sulaiman Md Ali to retain his role as chief minister, while PH’ candidate is Adly Zahari, who was also chief minister from 2018 to 2020.

Halim said that they had no issue with Adly as it was for the PH leadership to decide.

“For us, the priority is to first win the elections. We will decide on the candidate for the chief minister’s post next.

“So, if we win, then the PH central leadership will announce the candidate.”

Like PH, BN too had expressed its confidence of winning the state, based on its track record.

On Monday, former prime minister Najib Razak said that BN can offer a stable and competent state government.

PN, PH and BN are contesting in all 28 seats, with Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman) contesting one seat and Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), led by Ibrahim Ali, contesting five seats.

A total of 11 seats will see three candidates on the ballot paper, nine seats will see four candidates competing, five seats will be contested by five candidates, and three seats will have six parties contesting.

A total of 22 independent candidates will participate in the state polls, which are set to take place on November 20.

A total of 22 independent candidates will participate in the state polls, which are set to take place on November 20. 

The Malacca assembly was dissolved on October 4 after four assemblymen – Idris Haron (Sg Udang-BN), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor-BN), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu-Ind) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas-Bersatu) – withdrew their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

Idris and Nor Azman, formerly Umno, have now joined PKR and Amanah respectively, and are contesting under the PH banner. – November 11, 2021.