BN puts ‘benefit versus harm’ at heart of Melaka election alliance talks

BARISAN Nasional will judge any potential political alliance for the Melaka state election on whether it delivers greater benefits than harm, as party chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stressed that the interests of the people and political stability must take precedence.

Zahid said any negotiations with political parties or coalitions must be conducted with honesty and sincerity, while all sides must honour agreements once they have been reached.

“In my view, any negotiations (for the Melaka state election) must consider two aspects, namely the benefits and the harm.

“We must ensure that the benefits outweigh the harm, and any negotiations with any party or coalition must take these aspects into consideration.

“We must be honest, sincere and honour the commitments we have made, rather than doing the opposite once an agreement has been reached,” he told reporters after the closing ceremony of the Royal Malaysia Police Charity Programme in collaboration with the Ipoh Superbike Club (ISBC), held in conjunction with the 219th Police Day celebrations and the 69th Merdeka Eve at the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters today.

Zahid said he had given Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, who is also BN Melaka chairman, full authority to begin negotiations at state level.

The outcome of the negotiations will subsequently be brought before the national leadership for further consideration before any final decision is made, he said.

“There is no single formula or one-size-fits-all approach for every state, as Johor and Negeri Sembilan also have different formulas. Melaka will certainly require a formula that is suited to the geopolitics of the state,” he added.

Zahid’s remarks signal that while cooperation between BN and Pakatan Harapan remains an option, any arrangement for Melaka will be shaped by the state’s own political dynamics rather than simply replicating agreements reached elsewhere.

He said BN-PH cooperation in Johor and Negeri Sembilan had remained strong following the respective state elections and was also being reflected in the administration of the Federal Government.

“At the national level, this cooperation is not only evident in every Cabinet meeting, but coordination has also been carried out among the ministries through a whole-of-government approach.

“It is being done to resolve the people’s problems, safeguard the national interest and ensure political stability. I hope all parties will continue to uphold the objective of fostering cooperation among the various parties and coalitions to ensure that political stability at the national level continues to be translated into practice,” he said. - August 21, 2026