KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — While Barisan Nasional (BN) is still running the Melaka government for now, its days are numbered after the coalition lost every parliamentary seat contested in the recent general election, former chief minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron told Utusan Malaysia.

The former Umno man attributed BN’s defeat in GE15 to its overconfidence after its series of past by-election wins in Cameron Highlands, Tanjung Piai, Rembau and Semenyih.

He also blamed the top leadership’s poor selection of candidates in Melaka.

“Melaka BN must be realistic and look at the real numbers during the state elections which didn't favour them,” Idris told the Malay newspaper in an article published today.

He was comparing the 60 per cent voter turnout during the Melaka state election in November last year and the larger numbers that showed up at the ballot boxes during this year’s November 19 general election.

“If you look at the votes for Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), BN won seven while the other two won 19.

“BN only got 26 per cent of the vote while PH got 56 per cent of the popular vote. More people are rejecting them therefore it'll be hard for BN to hold on to Melaka in the future,” Idris was quoted as saying.

There are six parliamentary seats in Melaka that were split equally between PH and PN in GE15, decimating BN. PH controls Alor Gajah, Hang Tuah Jaya, and Kota Melaka while PN took Masjid Tanah, Tangga Batu, and Jasin.

Idris was chief minister from May 2013 till May 2018 when BN controlled the Melaka government.

He was also one of the four assemblymen who withdrew support for Umno’s Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, causing the collapse of the state government in 2021 and forcing an election while Malaysia was still working to contain Covid-19.

Idris claimed he pulled support from Sulaiman last year to usher in a new era for PH and BN to form the new federal coalition government after GE15.

He said his meetings with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim convinced him a BN-PH government can function well.

“I've mentioned to Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamid in the past that we need to be brave by adopting new ideas. Today's it's happened and I am sure Umno will be split even further between those who adopt these ideologies and the ‘No Anwar, No DAP’ group,” he added.

Pahang PH agreed to cooperate with the state BN to form the Pahang state government after the 15th general election resulted in a hung assembly, following in Perak's footsteps.

PH won 82 seats in GE15 and together with BN and GPS, which had won 30 and 22 seats respectively formed the current government.

Perikatan Nasional, which won 73 seats, has rejected offers to be in the coalition government and will act as the Opposition.