Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that formal negotiations on cooperation for the Melaka state election will only start after the Melaka state legislative assembly is dissolved [1, 2, 3, 4]. He said, "We have entrusted the matter to Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh, and I believe he will hold formal discussions once the Melaka legislative assembly is dissolved" [1]. He added that informal discussions may have already occurred but official negotiations await the dissolution [2].
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh will lead the formal negotiations on behalf of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno [1, 2, 3, 4]. Pakatan Harapan (PH) election director Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said PH is ready to begin seat negotiations with BN but is waiting for signals from Ab Rauf and decisions from BN and Umno leadership [2, 4]. Prior to the dissolution, only informal talks took place involving BN/Umno, PH, and Perikatan Nasional (PN) [1, 2, 3, 4].
The Melaka state assembly’s five-year term ends in December 2026. Dissolution and the state election are expected as early as September 2026, triggering formal coalition talks [2]. In the 2021 Melaka state election, BN won 21 of 28 state seats and initially governed alone before inviting PH into the administration to mirror the federal coalition [2].
The Umno Melaka Political Bureau has submitted election preparations and data based on analysis from its war room to Umno’s Supreme Council [1, 2, 3, 4]. BN component parties emphasize that their election strategy must reflect grassroots wishes. Some prefer BN to contest alone, while others are open to negotiations. MCA holds a firm stance against cooperation with DAP, with MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon stating, "MCA's position is clear. Not with DAP. That is the decision of last year's MCA General Assembly resolution. Other than that, all proposals can be considered" [5].
MIC plans to contest the Gadek state seat, which it defended in 2021 with a 559-vote majority. MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran said, "Ideally we would have good negotiations with all parties, but that may not be achievable at this point. So we must take the path closest to the wishes of the grassroots to ensure BN can continue to lead the state" [5].
The immediate next step is the expected dissolution of the Melaka state assembly as soon as September 2026, which will trigger the formal election cooperation talks led by Ab Rauf.
