TAIPING, Aug 9 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) is open to talks with Barisan Nasional (BN), including possible seat swaps, ahead of the Melaka state election, PN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar reportedly said today.

Utusan Malaysia reported Ahmad Samsuri as saying no formal discussions had taken place, but there was still sufficient time for the parties to consider electoral cooperation before the Melaka state assembly is dissolved.

“If BN is ready to discuss, insya-Allah, we are also ready to discuss,” he was quoted as saying after opening the 23rd Perak PAS Convention here.

He reportedly said PN was similarly prepared to hold talks with other Muafakat Nasional partners if they were willing to negotiate.

BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said yesterday that the coalition remained open to negotiations over seat allocations in Melaka, including possible swaps, but stressed that talks should be conducted in good faith and should not require parties to give up seats they had previously won.

Ahmad Samsuri said any discussions would ideally take place before the state assembly is dissolved to give the parties sufficient time to prepare for the election.

In the Negeri Sembilan state election, BN and PN formed an unofficial electoral pact, avoiding contests against each other in the same seats, with leaders from both coalitions also seen campaigning together.

Meanwhile, in Johor, BN and PN contested separately.