BARISAN Nasional (BN) is aiming to win 21 out of 28 Malacca assembly seats in the upcoming state elections, Malacca Umno deputy liaison chairman Mohamad Ali Mohamad said.

The BN candidate for the Sg Udang state constituency said the coalition was confident it can win even seats secured with a majority fewer than 1,000 votes in the last general election.

He also expected those who voted for Bersatu in GE14 to now shift their support to PAS, although both parties are now part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition. 

This shift, he added, would give BN a chance to win in seats with a majority of fewer than 1,000 votes as these voters could spoil it for Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates in these seats. 

“In these elections, we are still fighting all five parties (such as in GE14). The only thing is Bersatu is no longer in PH but with PAS, their votes remain the same. 

“The switch in marginal seats can happen if Bersatu can transfer 500 to 600 votes to PAS but BN votes remain the same,” he told The Malaysian Insight, in an interview in Sg Udang, Malacca recently. 

“So if Bersatu voters do not vote for PH, and with the votes we got (in GE14), BN will be able to take back (constituencies) from PH. 

“I am confident Umno and BN will win these seats,” he said. 

There are nine seats the incumbents won with a majority of fewer than 1,000 votes in the last general election. 

Six of the seats were won by BN – Lendu, Taboh Naning, Asahan, Pantai Kundor, Rim and Merlimau. 

PH won three other seats with Amanah winning Durian Tunggal, PKR winning Klebang and DAP winning Gadek. 

Ali, who was the deputy speaker of the last state assembly, said that BN can also increase the number of their seats due to PH’s weaknesses in administering Malacca for 22 months. 

“I am confident fence-sitters who voted for PH will turn to BN because of the empty promises, slanders and problems created by PH.” 

Ali also believed that BN could win all four state seats that belonged to the four assemblymen who withdrew from supporting chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali, resulting in the collapse of the Umno-led state government.

The four seats are Sg Udang, Pantai Kundor, Pengkalan Batu and Telok Mas.

BN goes head-to-head with PN and PH in all 28 seats, with 22 independent candidates contesting in 17 seats. 

Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional is contesting in one seat while Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia led by Ibrahim Ali is contesting in five seats. 

Polling is on November 20. – November 12, 2021.