Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh announced that the Melaka state election will probably be scheduled after the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections are held and concluded. He made these remarks on the evening of June 5, 2026, upon returning from his haj pilgrimage and meeting reporters at his residence [1, 2].
The Johor and Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assemblies were dissolved earlier this month, on June 1 and June 6 respectively, paving the way for their elections [1, 2]. Melaka, however, does not currently have plans to dissolve its legislative assembly since its term expires on December 30, 2026 [1, 2]. Ab Rauf emphasized that unlike Johor and Negeri Sembilan, Melaka is not under pressure to hold elections immediately.
"We are not following either Johor or Negeri Sembilan and we will deploy [party] machinery to assist in the elections in both states," Ab Rauf said, confirming Barisan Nasional’s role in supporting its campaigns in those states [1]. He also stated, "We (Barisan Nasional) will continue to administer government affairs and look after the people’s welfare until a date to be officially announced" [2].
Barisan Nasional currently holds a strong position in Melaka following the 2021 state election in which it won 21 seats, compared to Pakatan Harapan’s 5 and Perikatan Nasional’s 2 seats [1, 2]. This majority enables BN to maintain governance without immediate elections.
Regarding the timing of Melaka's election, Ab Rauf explained he would carefully observe the results in Johor and Negeri Sembilan before deciding when to dissolve the assembly. He described politics as "an art with 1,001 possibilities," signaling a flexible and strategic approach [1].
The Melaka assembly's statutory term ends on December 30, 2026, setting a clear deadline for elections to be held by that date [1, 2]. Until then, governance will continue under Barisan Nasional’s administration.
