UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh says his pending court case has not derailed his preparations for the Melaka state election, despite waiting a year for the matter to be resolved.
Akmal, who held the post of Merlimau assemblyman, said the prolonged proceedings had prepared him for any eventuality, including the possibility that he might not be able to defend his seat in the Nov 14 election.
“It's been a year since this case began, and I've been waiting for a year, but there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.
“For me, it no longer affects me because we have been mentally prepared for a year. Whether I can continue or not, we are still in this situation,” he told reporters outside the Bukit Mertajam Court Complex on Monday.
Akmal was at the court to hear the decision on his representation seeking to have the case over an allegedly inverted flag dropped.
In August last year, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of making a statement that could cause public alarm.
Under the charge, Akmal allegedly made the statement on his Facebook account, Akmal Saleh, in a video published at a specified URL. The statement was alleged to have caused public alarm that could prompt people to commit offences against public order.
Akmal said he respected the court's decision and would go through the legal process properly and with discipline.
He hoped the case could be resolved soon, possibly by January or February next year, provided there were no further complications.
On his candidacy for the coming Melaka state election, Akmal said Umno had entrusted him with defending the Merlimau state seat, but the decision would not be final until nominations.
“Thankfully, the party has given me the confidence to defend state seat N27. But until nomination day, anything can happen.
“For me, if there is someone better who can help the party win, I am willing not to contest. I have said this many times,” he said.
He added that he was prepared to step aside if his candidacy was considered a liability to the party's chances, saying he had conveyed the position to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“If it is felt that I would be a burden to the party's chances of winning the coming election, I have no problem with not contesting.
“This election is not about Akmal Salleh. It is about how we can win and how we can serve the people,” he said.
Barisan Nasional Melaka chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh had earlier announced that Akmal would defend Merlimau in the Nov 14 Melaka state election. - October 26, 2026
