PETALING JAYA: Beyond seat-sharing arrangements, the Malacca polls will test whether the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH)-Bersatu cooperation will translate into genuine grassroots support, particularly among voters whose parties were once political rivals.
Universiti Malaya political analyst Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said the arrangements marked a significant shift in Malacca’s traditional electoral competition, but agreements between party leaders did not automatically guarantee support from their respective supporters.
He added that the key challenge would be whether voters were willing to support candidates from parties they had previously opposed, with local leadership, candidate credibility and government performance also influencing their decisions.
