MELAKA – Pakatan Harapan (PH) is confident of winning at least 18 of the 28 seats in the upcoming Melaka election, enough to secure a majority to form a new government.
Melaka PKR chief Datuk Halim Bachik said this projection is based on the sentiments of voters on the ground and their acceptance of the coalition.
He added that the strict standard operating procedures, which bar physical campaigning, are unlikely to hamper PH’s chances of bagging a second victory in just slightly more than three years in the coastal state.
“For PKR alone, we are fully convinced that we will win a minimum of six or seven seats. God willing, we can even secure nine,” he said in a virtual press conference today.
“When I go to the ground, for example, to Sg Rambai, the people accept us. They didn’t want the election, but it was forced because of the conflict among the government assemblymen.
“At the PH level, meanwhile, we are targeting to win a minimum of 18 seats,” he added.
Halim was asked to comment on PH’s confidence in regaining power in Melaka and how he feels about the people’s sentiment towards the coalition.
PH won the state for the first time in the May 2018 general election after securing 15 seats, eight of which were from DAP, three from PKR, and two each from Amanah and then component Bersatu.
However, the infamous Sheraton Move at the federal level in February and March 2020 led to the collapse of the state administration. Barisan Nasional (BN) would go on to form a new government, led by Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
Last month, after an internal struggle, four assemblymen, led by former Umno leader and ex-chief minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron, withdrew their support for Sulaiman, triggering the state election.
In the current polls scheduled on November 20, PKR is contesting in 11 constituencies, while Amanah and DAP have been entrusted to win nine and eight seats respectively.
Asked if Idris’ role in toppling the BN state government would hurt PH’s chances in the polls, seeing that he is now contesting under the latter’s banner in the Asahan state constituency, Halim said this is not the case.
On the contrary, he believes Idris’ experience as a former state leader would be advantageous to the opposition. Idris served as chief minister from May 2013 to May 2018.
“To me, it is not true (Idris will cost PH). From my observation, in Asahan for example, the support is there.
“Idris is a former chief minister and he has contributed to the state during his time in power. Idris is not an issue. Instead, he will draw votes from Umno to support PH,” he said. – The Vibes, November 14, 2021
