KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 ― Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told Barisan Nasional (BN) campaigners for the upcoming Melaka state election the coalition is fighting to form a multicultural administration and not one that is just Malay- or Islam-centric.

Brushing aside the commonly believed assertion that the Umno-led BN would be banking on Malay and Islamic sentiments, Mohamad said coalition members must carry themselves in a way that reflects the country’s multi-racial identity.

"The optics must be right, our partners in the coalition must be with us so that what we do is a reflection of Barisan Nasional to multicultural communities.

"We are not establishing a Malay government, we are not establishing an Islamic government, we are establishing a multicultural Barisan Nasional government,’’ he said last night.

Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, also reiterated the need to focus on engaging voters and presenting the right narrative to win more seats than their previous outing.

The Election Commission (EC) has set November 20 as polling day for the Melaka state election.

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