PH names 21 Melaka election candidates, and DAP skips Bemban to focus on seven seats

Pakatan Harapan (PH) will contest 21 of the 28 seats in the Melaka state election: nine for PKR, seven for DAP and five for Amanah. PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the list on Saturday, 24 October 2026, and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke explained on Monday why the party is not fielding a candidate in Bemban, Bernama and Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported.

The candidates

Anwar named the candidates at the Melaka PH candidate announcement and election machinery launch at Hang Jebat Stadium in Krubong. In 2021, PH fielded 28 candidates.

• PKR (9): Tanjung Bidara, Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri; Rembia, Mohd Khuzairie Mohd Kamal Kannan; Machap Jaya, Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin; Asahan, Denesh Palasubraniam; Paya Rumput, Datuk Azman Abidin; Kelebang, Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir; Ayer Molek, Muhammad Hakimin Mokhtar; Rim, Esma Eazreen Husin; Serkam, Muhammad Faiq Azman.
• DAP (7): Gadek, Jegasilan K; Pengkalan Batu, Jason Tze-Xi Nathan; Ayer Keroh, Kerk Chee Yee; Kesidang, Allex Seah Shoo Chin; Kota Laksamana, Low Chee Leong; Duyong, Poo Long Suan; Bandar Hilir, Leng Chau Yen.
• Amanah (5): Kuala Linggi, Muhammad Mukhlisul Mubin Julaisapiyah; Durian Tunggal, Datuk Ashraf Mukhlis Minghat; Bukit Katil, Adly Zahari; Telok Mas, Kapten (B) Mohamad Jaafar; Merlimau, Rahayu Hamzah.

Adly, a former chief minister and the Melaka PH chairman, defends Bukit Katil. According to FMT, he first won the seat in 2018 with a 3,159-vote majority in a three-cornered contest and kept it in 2021 with a 1,057-vote majority in a four-cornered fight. Azman, the prime minister's political secretary, stands in Paya Rumput.

PKR: seven new faces

Melaka PKR acting chairman Adam Adli Abd Halim said seven of the party's nine candidates are new faces. Only Farzana in Kelebang and Ginie Lim in Machap Jaya have contested an election before. According to Bernama, he said winning depends not only on a candidate's name but also on their ties with the community, the strength of their campaign machinery and the agenda they offer.

DAP skips Bemban

PH is not contesting seven seats, including Bemban, amid speculation of an understanding with Bersatu. Melaka PH has said it will contest on its own, and FMT noted that the speculation persisted after a dinner last month between state PH and Bersatu leaders that no DAP representative attended.

On Monday, Loke said DAP's decision to contest only seven seats, including not fielding anyone in Bemban, was based on an assessment of its chances of winning. He said DAP finished second in several seats it failed to win in 2021 but third in Bemban.

"It is a tactical and strategic decision by the party to ensure that our efforts and focus are directed towards the seats we can win, namely the seven we are contesting, including the four seats held by our incumbents," he told reporters in Melaka, as quoted by Bernama. He said PH is focused on its 21 seats and is "not involved in the others".

In 2021, DAP's Tey Kok Kiew lost Bemban to PN's Dr Mohd Yadzil Yaakub by 328 votes in a five-cornered contest.

Anwar's call to the machinery

In a Facebook post on Sunday night, Anwar urged all PH candidates and machinery to uphold the public's trust through hard work. He said slander and racial incitement must be countered with tangible achievements and dedicated service, Bernama reported.

What happens next

The Election Commission has set nomination day for 31 October, early voting for 10 November and polling day for 14 November. In 2021, BN won 21 seats, PH five and PN two. This time PH faces BN, which is contesting 21 seats, and PN, which was given seven under the BN-PAS understanding.

Read also

• PKR confirms nine Melaka seats, Pakatan to name candidates on 24 October
• Zahid rejects PN request for two more Melaka seats, BN to contest 21
• Mat Sabu tells Melaka voters to learn from Negeri Sembilan crisis

Sources

• Free Malaysia Today, PH to contest only 21 seats in Melaka polls, 24 October 2026
• Bernama, PH Announces 21 Candidates For Melaka Polls, 24 October 2026
• Bernama, Melaka Polls: DAP Contesting Seven Seats Based On Winning Chances - Loke, 26 October 2026
• Malay Mail (Bernama), Melaka polls: PKR's seven new faces must earn voters' trust, says Adam Adli, 25 October 2026
• Malay Mail (Bernama), Anwar calls for service over rhetoric as Pakatan targets Melaka victory, 26 October 2026