MELAKA voters will have the final say on which political parties could become strategic partners of the state government after the upcoming state election, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
He said Umno would only hold talks with other parties after the Melaka Legislative Assembly (DUN) is dissolved.
“Melaka is different. We will leave it to the people to decide who they believe is the best strategic partner for the state government.
“Any negotiations with political parties interested in taking part in Melaka’s democratic process will only take place after the dissolution of the DUN,” he told reporters at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.
Ab Rauf said political parties were free to chart their own course and decide on their respective strategies ahead of the election.
But he was firm that Umno would defend the seats it currently holds, ruling out any compromise to hand them to other parties.
“We will defend our seats. The parties that have won seats have their own numbers. We will defend the seats that we have won,” he said.
Ab Rauf said the date for the DUN’s dissolution would be announced when the time was right, adding that it would not be too far off.
“Insya-Allah, it will be soon. When the time comes, I will announce it,” he said.
He also said strengthening Umno would remain a priority ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), as the party seeks to rebuild its position as a dominant force in Malaysian politics. – September 11, 2026
