He was quoted as saying today that a consensus had been reached, and the announcement was a matter of timing.

“Maybe it will be in one or two days after the nomination day. The presidential council will announce the decision,” he was quoted as saying in a Malaysiakini report. “It has been discussed, and we have reached an understanding.”

Nomination day for the Melaka state assembly elections is tomorrow. Polling will take place on Nov 20 in the 28 seats of the state assembly.

Earlier today, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had urged PH to announce Amanah vice-president Adly Zahari as the coalition’s choice for the chief minister’s post. He said PH had made a mistake in accepting Umno defectors as election candidates and must not make another mistake over the chief ministership.

Adly was chief minister from May 2018 to March 2020, when the PH state government collapsed because of defections. An Umno-led state government, headed by Sulaiman Md Ali, then took over.

Yesterday, PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim had declined to name the coalition’s candidate for the chief ministership, which one political scientist says leaves the “door open” for Idris Haron, one of four assemblymen who triggered the collapse of Sulaiman’s government, leading to the state elections on Nov 20.

Idris, formerly with Umno has been accepted by PKR and will be fielded in Asahan. He was Adly’s predecessor as chief minister, in office from 2013 to 2018.

PKR vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin has been speculated as another possible candidate for the chief minister’s position after being named as the PH candidate in Paya Rumput.

Adly is seeking re-election in Bukit Katil.