MELAKA: Perikatan Nasional has prepared its election machinery as it cannot wait for Umno to reach a consensus on forming an alliance in the upcoming Melaka state election, says Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

       Azmin, who is Perikatan election director, said the discussion on working together in the Melaka election should have been held earlier.

       As it is, he said nomination for the state election would already be taking place on Nov 8.

       “It’s time-sensitive. We can’t wait any longer for a consensus between Umno and Perikatan on fostering a working relationship to vie for the 28 state seats,” he said after checking on Perikatan’s election preparation in Masjid Tanah here yesterday.

       “Perikatan’s component parties – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, PAS and Gerakan – are ready for the state election, including contesting in multi-cornered battles.”

       However, he said Perikatan had not shut its doors to negotiations with Barisan Nasional.

       Barisan, he said, should quickly decide whether it wanted to cooperate in the state election.

       Azmin claimed he had received information that certain Umno leaders were keen to cooperate with Perikatan.

       “But this is an internal problem of Umno which we are not keen to interfere in,” he said.

       Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said it was still not too late for Umno to cooperate with any party in the Melaka polls.

       The Umno supreme council would make a final decision on this soon, said Ahmad, who earlier inspected preparations at the Barisan operations room at the Bukit Terendak polling station in Sungai Udang.