Credit : BERNAMA
MELAKA, November 3, 2026 – Pakatan Harapan (PH) has proposed holding open debates with Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates from MCA contesting four seats in the 16th Melaka State Election, widening a challenge that was first directed at its candidate for the Banda Hilir seat, Bernama reported.
PH Melaka deputy chairman Khoo Poay Tiong said the proposal followed a challenge by MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong to the PH candidate for Banda Hilir to hold a debate in the constituency.
“PH therefore proposes that the debate be expanded to involve candidates from both parties in all four constituencies contested by MCA and PH,” Khoo told PH’s daily press conference at Bukit Piatu on November 2.
“Our four candidates are Low Chee Leong for Kota Laksamana, Leng Chau Yen for Banda Hilir, Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir for Kelebang and Ginie Lim for Machap Jaya,” he said.
Also present at the press conference was DAP National Political Education Director Howard Lee Chuan How.
Khoo, who is also Melaka DAP chairman, said the debates could be held at a neutral venue agreed upon by both sides, with an independent non-governmental organisation (NGO) acting as mediator to ensure fair discussions.
He also proposed that the debates be conducted in Bahasa Melayu so that Melaka residents from diverse backgrounds could understand the arguments and positions presented by both sides.
“The debates could be held as soon as possible, before Nov 14,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lee said PH had also proposed debates involving the top leadership of both parties to discuss national policies affecting Melaka.
He said open debates would provide a platform for both sides to explain their respective policies and positions to the people, while encouraging a transparent competition of ideas as part of democratic practice.
The proposal turns what began as a challenge over a single seat into a wider offer covering four constituencies: Kota Laksamana, Banda Hilir, Kelebang and Machap Jaya. It also adds a second, leadership-level debate on national policies as they affect the state.
Khoo’s suggestion of a neutral venue and an independent NGO mediator was put forward as a way to ensure that the discussions would be fair to both sides. Under the proposal, each of the four PH candidates named would face their MCA rival in the constituency they are contesting, rather than limiting the exercise to Banda Hilir alone.
Bernama’s report did not include a response from MCA or BN to the expanded proposal, and no date or venue had been agreed at the time of the report.
If the debates go ahead, they would give voters in the four seats a chance to hear the candidates set out and defend their positions side by side, in a common language, before they cast their ballots.
Polling for the 16th Melaka State Election is on November 14, 2026, with early voting set for November 10, 2026.
Updates on the 16th Melaka State Election are also available on Bernama’s dedicated election page.
This story is based on a report by Bernama.
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