THREE state executive council (EXCO) members are rumoured to be dropped from the candidate list for the upcoming Melaka state election.
Among them is Exco member for Youth Development, Sports, and NGOs, Datuk VP Shanmugam, the incumbent for the Gadek state constituency and state MIC chief.
Also included are Exco for Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Kalsom Nordin (Pengkalan Batu) and Exco for Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs Datuk Rahmad Mariman (Ayer Molek).
This is seen as an effort by BN to recalibrate its political strength in Melaka ahead of an increasingly challenging electoral contest.
At the same time, BN is expected to field several new faces in this state election, including the Melaka UMNO Youth Chief, who also serves as the Chief Minister’s Political Secretary. Datuk Abdul Hakim Abdul Wahid.
However, Abdul Hakim, who also serves as the UMNO Youth Chief for the Masjid Tanah division, is expected to be fielded in a constituency outside Masjid Tanah, rather than in the Lendu state seat as previously speculated.
One of the seats linked to him is Serkam, given his extensive family ties within that area.
It is also rumoured that Melaka UMNO Puteri Chief, Nurul Amirah Mohd Yusof, might be allowed to contest the Lendu state seat if former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali is not renominated.
This strategy involving new faces includes the Hang Tuah Jaya UMNO Division Chief, Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali, who is expected to contest the Ayer Molek state seat, while the Jasin UMNO Division Deputy Chief, Datuk Azman Abdullah, is tipped to be nominated for the Sungai Rambai state seat.
Other names expected to be put forward include Jasin UMNO Puteri Chief Asmah Sulaiman; Jasin UMNO Division Committee Member Hairul Amin Madon; Kota Melaka UMNO Division Secretary Datuk Akramuddin Abd Aziz; and Masjid Tanah UMNO Division Secretary Mohd Hafith Alias.
This list reflects the possibility of a major shift within the Barisan Nasional (BN) slate of candidates, including opportunities for leaders from the party’s wings and divisional leadership to fill seats vacated by the incumbents.
BN must ensure that the selection of new candidates is based on capability, performance, and voter acceptance, rather than solely on an individual’s position within the party structure.
Insiders cautioned that overly drastic changes could trigger dissatisfaction among the supporters of incumbents and weaken the election machinery, thereby jeopardising BN’s chances of retaining the seats it is contesting.
In this context, the decision regarding candidates is not merely about who remains or who is dropped; it also serves as a gauge of BN’s leadership capacity to manage a transition without compromising the party’s organisational strength.
Nevertheless, the names rumoured to be potentially dropped remain speculative and are subject to an official announcement by the party leadership.
The Election Commission (EC) has set November 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, with candidate nominations scheduled for October 31 and early voting for November 10.
In the 2021 Melaka state election, BN won 21 out of the 28 contested seats, enabling it to form the state government, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) won two. – October 24, 2026