Credit : Bernama
MELAKA, November 1, 2026 – Pakatan Harapan (PH) has rejected claims by certain parties that the 16th Melaka state election is a waste of time and of public money, describing the polls instead as a democratic process and an important arena for the people to decide who governs the state, Bernama reported.
Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari said that in a democracy, PH was not relying only on its own supporters but had chosen to openly appeal for the support of all Melaka voters to win the mandate to govern, according to Bernama. The report did not name the party that had made the claim.
Adly, who is defending the Bukit Katil seat for PH in a four-cornered fight and is also a vice-president of Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), said other parties might be able to win by relying only on the backing of their own members, but PH had chosen to seek the support of the whole state.
“I do not deny that Barisan Nasional can win with the support of its members, but we in Pakatan Harapan are using this election to appeal to the people of Melaka to give us their support,” he said.
“We can only win with the support of the people of Melaka. The power to govern is not the permanent right of any party, and voters do not owe a mandate to anyone, because in the end the power of democracy is the power of the people,” he added.
He was speaking at PH’s daily press conference at the coalition’s main operations room in Melaka on Sunday, which was also attended by Melaka DAP chairman Khoo Poay Tiong.
Issues raised on the ground
Adly, who is also Deputy Defence Minister, said early feedback from PH’s 24 candidates in the field showed that voters were still voicing concern over water bills, the difficulty of owning a home, access to welfare aid, recurring floods, and the limited capital and high rents faced by small traders.
He reminded Barisan Nasional (BN), which won 21 of the 28 seats at the last state election, that it was responsible for explaining how it would resolve these complaints, and should not act as though it had only just taken over the state administration.
“The people have the right to ask, if even basic matters still cannot be resolved and are still being complained about, by what measure does the current administration want to keep being praised? Signboards can change and slogans can be renewed, but the quality of service must prove the best results for the people,” he said.
His remarks come as PH and BN, which are partners in the federal government, face each other in several Melaka seats, while Perikatan Nasional is also in the contest.
These are Adly’s claims as a contesting party. BN’s response to his remarks was not available in the Bernama report.
Key dates
The Election Commission (SPR) has fixed November 10 for early voting and November 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, in which 79 candidates are contesting the 28 state seats over a 14-day campaign.
Credit : Bernama
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