Melaka result bolsters Malay political alliance, posing tougher challenge for Malaysia PM Anwar ahead of GE

Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional won 24 of Melaka’s 28 state seats, a result that strengthens the case for their Malay-focused alliance ahead of Malaysia’s next general election. It is a setback for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s multiracial Pakatan Harapan coalition and complicates its tentative electoral understanding with Bersatu.

BN won 21 seats and PN three, while Pakatan Harapan retained four, all for the Democratic Action Party. Although BN-PN gained only one seat compared with the 2021 election, analysts said larger margins in Malay-majority areas suggest cooperation helped consolidate votes and avoid three-way contests. The pattern also points to stronger non-Malay support for DAP, leaving PH’s PKR and Amanah squeezed; analysts said the outcome could increase pressure on Anwar to call an early election.