Analysis: Melaka polls platform for BN, PN to gauge ability, level of support

With the 15th General Election (GE15) looming closer, the UMNO-led BN is looking to prove that the coalition still has a place in the hearts of the people, and Melaka is the main battlefield for the party to do so.

On the other hand, the Bersatu-led PN wants to prove that it is not a petty coalition, and can also gain the trust of the people.

Even so, the step taken by both parties still poses a great risk, given the unstable political landscape following GE14 as there is no dominant party.

The Melaka polls will also test the relationship between UMNO and PAS through Muafakat Nasional (MN), which had seen much success in a series of by-elections after GE14.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Faculty of Human Ecology lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Izani Mohd Zain, who agreed that parties were using the state election to gauge their strength, said the clash would raise questions on how the campaigning would be carried out by both parties.

"Will their campaign be more geared towards promoting their own strength, or even bringing down other blocs? That's what we want to know. I expect such actions to have an impact at the Federal level, and they are likely to join forces after the election to form a government if neither of them fails to get a majority," he told Bernama.

He said new and young candidates were put forward this time to win the hearts of voters, besides wanting to highlight that the parties had truly changed, and are responsive to the tastes and desires of the people.

Political observers also saw the clash in all 28 state assembly seats as a strategy to convince the grassroots of the party leadership's ability to plan for the future.

Senior Lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UiTM) Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Melaka Branch, Shafezah Abdul Wahab said the three-cornered fights, especially involving UMNO and Bersatu, was seen as a competition to prove which Malay party was more trusted by the people, especially in Melaka.

"The Melaka polls candidacy scenario which has led to three-cornered clashes will probably drag on to GE15, when there is no election pact, especially between UMNO and Bersatu. The results of the Melaka state polls will also give a true picture of Bersatu and PAS' strategy to be taken in GE15," she said.

University of Malaya's Department of Political Studies and Administration senior lecturer Dr Mohamad Tawfik Yaakub said the clash would also allow both sides to review the need to work together in the future.

However, according to him, BN and PN shared the same values in terms of the Malays and Muslims, and that the coalitions could not work with PH which has a different ideology.

"In the context of Melaka, I see (them) taking an approach of split first, join up later.

"UMNO, PAS and Bersatu will try their best (to) form a joint government after the election, as political power is important for political parties throughout Malaysia," he said while appearing as a guest on the Melaka State Election Candidate Nomination special coverage programme broadcast on Bernama TV today.

The EC set has the polling date for the Melaka state election on Nov 20, and early voting will be on Nov 16.

The election is being held following the dissolution of the State Assembly on Oct 4, after four assemblymen withdrew their support for then chief minister, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.