Key facts
- Malaysia's election commission expects 70% turnout among nearly 690,000 eligible voters in Melaka.
- Pakatan Harapan holds five of the outgoing Melaka assembly's 28 seats; Barisan Nasional holds 20.
- Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional are contesting as an official pact, with BN in 23 seats and PN in five.
- Pollster ILHAM Centre said the BN-PN alliance led in 24 seats, with PH safe in two and two closely contested.
- Transport Minister Anthony Loke resigned on Tuesday after Umno paid a RM50 million fine to free Najib Razak.
Voters in Malaysia's Melaka state began casting ballots on Saturday, November 14, 2026, to elect 28 assembly seats, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan coalition facing a Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional pact. Malaysia's election commission expects 70% of the nearly 690,000 eligible voters to cast ballots.
Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional are contesting as an official pact, as they did in Negeri Sembilan on August 1. BN is contesting 23 seats and PN five. Pakatan Harapan is contesting 24 seats, and Parti Bersatu Malaysia, a splinter of Anwar's Parti Keadilan Rakyat, is contesting 16.
In the previous Melaka state election in 2021, BN won 21 seats, PH five and PN two. Parties need 15 of the 28 seats to form the state government. Pollster ILHAM Centre said on Friday that the BN-PN alliance held a commanding lead in 24 seats, with PH safe in two and two closely contested.
The election follows a turbulent week in which Transport Minister Anthony Loke resigned on Tuesday after Umno paid a RM50 million fine to secure the release of jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to house arrest. Anwar has said he disagreed with Umno's decision to pay the fine.