PH needs over 30% Malay vote to secure most seats in Melaka election

In an interview, Pakatan Harapan chairman Adly Zahari stressed that obtaining more than 30% of the Malay vote is essential for the coalition to win the bulk of the seats it fields in the Melaka state election, given the state's mixed-ethnicity constituencies and tight margins. He explained that identity politics may influence voting behaviour, especially in marginal seats, and that a Malay vote share around 20% would limit PH to only a few victories, while dropping below that could jeopardise seats it currently holds.

Zahari said the coalition has not discussed appointing a single "poster boy" for the campaign, arguing that each candidate must focus on winning their own assembly seat. He referenced past elections where poster boys were considered only at the presidential council level and noted that parties like DAP do not use such a figure. Zahari also warned that the emerging party Bersama, which targets new voters, could siphon support from PH and affect close contests, citing the 2021 Pengkalan Batu result where an independent candidate’s 1,000-plus votes helped BN win. The Election Commission has set nomination day for Oct 31 and polling for Nov 14, 2026.