MELAKA: Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan will clash in 15 seats in the upcoming Melaka election.
This follows the announcement of their respective candidates by both coalitions, which are aligned under the unity government at the federal level. Polling is scheduled for Nov 14.
Both BN and PH will contest 21 of the 28 seats up for grabs in the election. However, neither coalition will field a candidate in Bemban, a seat won by Perikatan Nasional in the 2021 state election.
Caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, who will defend his Tanjung Bidara seat for the second time, will face PH candidate Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, contrary to rumours that he would be moved to another constituency, will defend his Merlimau seat for another term. PH has named Amanah's Rahayu Hamzah to challenge him.
BN has also retained Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem to contest Duyong, where he will face DAP's Poo Long Suan.
The following are the other 12 seats where BN and PH candidates will go head-to-head:
Kuala Linggi
BN: Datuk Rosli Abdullah (incumbent)
PH: Muhammad Mukhlisul Mubin Julasapiyah
Rembia
BN: Ahmad Norazil Aziz
PH: Mohd Khuzarie Mohd Kamal Kannan
Gadek
BN: S. Nadarajah
PH: Jegasilan K
Machap Jaya
BN: Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem (incumbent)
PH: Ginie Lim Siew Lin
Durian Tunggal
BN: Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa
PH: Datuk Ashraf Mukhlis Minghat
Asahan
BN: Datuk Dr Fairul Nizam (incumbent)
PH: P. Denesh
Klebang
BN: Datuk Lim Ban Hong (incumbent)
PH: Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir
Pengkalan Batu
BN: Siti Aisyah Mahmood
PH: Jason Tze-Xi Nathan
Ayer Molek
BN: Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali
PH: Muhammad Hakimin Mokhtar
Telok Mas
BN: Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman (incumbent)
PH: Captain (Rtd) Mohamad Jaafar
Rim
BN: Datuk Khaidira Abu Zahar (incumbent)
PH: Esma Eazreen Husin
Serkam
BN: Datuk Azman Abdullah
PH: Muhammad Faiq Azman
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd