KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — PAS deputy president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah has proposed a formula for his party, Umno and ally Bersatu that he says will provide the best outcome in next month’s Melaka election and avoid a conflict of interest.

He said Umno should contest in 14 seats and let PAS run in six seats and Bersatu take the remaining eight out of the 28-seats in the state legislative assembly, Mingguan Malaysia reported today.

The Kelantan lawmaker claimed this formula will help the three parties avoid fighting against each other for the same seats and allow them the best possible way to victory in the upcoming Melak state polls.

"We must avoid a three-way fight and Umno must reconsider their stance on not negotiating on this issue. If we look at the previous election, Umno fought for almost all the state assembly seats in Melaka but they won only 14,” Mohd Amar was quoted saying.

He said that PAS is confident it can win six state seats while Bersatu wants eight, which could work if their Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact is still in effect.

He added that if PN were to contest the polls without Umno, then it would fight for 22 seats.

"PAS has identified at least six seats that we have the potential to win but the real total depends on further discussions and negotiations.

"I hope we don’t have any confrontation with Umno. At least I do not think it will happen,” he was quoted as saying.

However, he said that if Umno feels otherwise and is adamant on being the only ruling government in Melaka, then so be it.

The Melaka state election is set to become the first battleground where both Umno and Bersatu will face off with one another in the polls since the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February last year.

Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously said his party will not ally with Bersatu in the upcoming state elections.

Zahid added that Umno will contest the Melaka election alone even as some of his party colleagues seemed keen to work with PAS.

The Election Commission received an official notification on the dissolution of the 14th Melaka state legislative assembly last Monday from speaker Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, after the Umno-led state government lost its majority in the state assembly.

The elections are slated for November 20.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said the government had not decided whether to advise Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Nazrin Shah, who is performing the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, to declare an Emergency proclamation to postpone the Melaka state election.