PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang has confirmed that his party accepts Barisan Nasional (BN) leading the state of Melaka and will join the government should they win the upcoming state election on Nov 14.
Speaking at a press conference during the Terengganu International Summit 2026, he emphasised that PAS will continue its ongoing cooperation with BN, reflecting their previous alliances in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.
“We will continue our efforts (towards cooperation), and as an initial note, we accept the fact that Melaka will be led by BN, with us being in the government,” he said in Terengganu yesterday (Oct 16).
Regarding media reports suggesting incumbent Merlimau assemblyman Datuk Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh might step aside for a PAS candidate, Hadi stated that the seat allocation remains undecided.
However, PAS has prepared a list of potential candidates, which requires approval from the Syura Ulama Council before final selection by PAS Central.
“We have a large list of candidates that must be approved by the Syura Ulama Council, and PAS Central will determine who will contest. That (the Merlimau seat) has not been decided yet,” he said briefly.
Speculation arose after Akmal expressed gratitude to voters on Facebook and reports cited Melaka PAS Chief Zulkifli Ismail as a prospective candidate for Merlimau.
Akmal previously secured the seat in 2021 with 58% of votes, though support for BN dropped to 39% according to voting data analysis from electiondata.my ahead of the last general election. — Oct 17, 2026
Main photo credit: Bernama
