KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said whoever prevails in the upcoming Melaka state election stands a good chance of taking over Putrajaya.

Redzuan told Malay daily Utusan Malaysia that when Bersatu was with Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the 14th general election (GE14), the formula was ‘win Melaka, win Putrajaya’.

"Melaka will be a model. Winning the Melaka state election will increase the chances for that grouping or coalition during GE15.

"But we still don’t know what Bersatu’s strategy will be, whether to fight three, four, five or six corners (for the Melaka state election),” he was quoted as saying.

He also reportedly said that there is still a possibility that Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) will compete under the same banner, creating two-cornered fights with the state Opposition.

However, Redzuan said that after unofficial discussions, PN is ready to engage in fights of three corners and more to show what Umno has done in Melaka.

"The collapse of the Melaka government was led by Umno itself (internal crisis). There seems to be no agreement in Umno. Will then Bersatu and PN use this as an excuse for PN to contest solo?

"But if we look at the grassroots reaction today, it has been very different, depending on the place itself,” he added.

Last week, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party will enter the Melaka state election alone even as some of his party colleagues seemed keen to work with PAS.

Nomination Day is November 8 and early polling will be held on November 16.

The Melaka state legislative assembly has 28 seats.