SHAH ALAM – Perikatan Nasional (PN) is likely to make way for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the majority of State Legislative Assembly seats, given BN's track record of winning 21 seats and remaining the primary power in the Melaka state government.
Political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said however, it would be difficult for PN to concede almost all or all seats without securing reasonable leverage.
According to him, PN is expected to demand to defend the seats it won previously, along with several Malay-majority seats that overlap with parliamentary constituencies currently held by Pas and Bersatu.
"In the 15th General Election (GE15), Pas won Tangga Batu and Jasin, whilst Bersatu secured Masjid Tanah. Therefore, a more practical form of cooperation would see BN leading the state campaign, whilst PN is allocated selected seats where it stands a genuine chance of winning.
"In other seats, PN could offer open endorsement to BN candidates, mobilise its campaign machinery and assist in directing vote transfers from Pas and Bersatu supporters. In fact, a cross-level trade-off is not out of the question.
"PN could offer a compromise by giving up more state seats to BN, provided its position in Melaka's parliamentary seats is recognised during GE16 seat negotiations. This could be what Abdul Hadi was alluding to when he spoke of 'another approach'," he told Sinar.
Previously, Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang noted that political cooperation between PN and BN in the Melaka state election could differ from the arrangements seen in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
Awang Azman added that, in other words, the collaboration might not entail an equal split, but rather an allocation based on each coalition's respective strongholds.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sabah political analyst Associate Professor Dr Syahruddin Awang Ahmad suggested that the projected alternative mode of cooperation most likely refers to a more flexible seat-sharing model.
He explained that this could involve allocations based on Malay-majority priorities or non-contest agreements in marginal seats, rather than an outright concession.
"Pas and PN will endeavour to safeguard their spheres of influence to ensure their voter base is not diluted, whilst establishing a conditional support mechanism that yields mutual benefit without compromising their political identities or dominance," he said.
He further noted that the history of political pacts and alliances in Malaysia demonstrates that electoral compromises remain fragile when grounded solely in political opportunism.
"Hence, the compromise in Melaka is best viewed as a pragmatic electoral experiment to test the limits of political tolerance between PN and BN, rather than definitive proof of a robust, long-term strategic consensus," he said.