Melaka polls: BN not trying to be 'big brother', but UMNO must be core party - Khaled Nordin

He said the absence of a core party would lead to disloyalty with party hopping and this would make it difficult to maintain the political stability of the country or state.

"Secondly, there will be a lot of 'bargaining', a lot of 'give and take' to the point that important matters based on the party's struggles cannot be implemented because there is no core party.

"For that reason, UMNO needs to contest more than 14 or 15 seats so that it can be the core party, if there is no core party there can be no stability, this is what the people of Melaka have to decide..." he said in the 'Gegau Melaka' programme streamed on BN COMMS' Facebook page tonight.

He was responding to claims that Barisan Nasional (BN) was trying to take on the 'big brother' role by moving solo in the Melaka state election.

In denying this claim, Khaled said BN only wanted to restore political stability in Melaka specifically and the country generally, through a core party approach.

In the election on Nov 20, BN will be contesting in all 28 seats, with UMNO contesting in 20 seats, MCA seven and MIC one.

Of that number, 24 candidates or 86 per cent are new faces with only four incumbents retained.