MELAKA, Oct 25 — Barisan Nasional (BN) will contest 21 of the 28 seats in the upcoming Melaka polls, retaining its three key leaders as candidates, including Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka Umno Liaison Committee chairman, will defend the Tanjung Bidara seat, while Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem will defend the Merlimau and Duyong seats, respectively.
The coalition’s list of candidates was announced by Ab Rauf at BN’s candidate announcement ceremony for the Melaka polls at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) here last night, which was officiated by BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Also present were BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, PPP president Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan Jaganathan, and other BN leaders.
Among the new faces fielded as candidates are Ahmad Norazril Abdul Aziz for the Rembia seat, Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali (Ayer Molek), Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa (Durian Tunggal) and Siti Aisyah Mahmood (Pengkalan Batu).
Paya Rumput incumbent Datuk Rais Yasin, meanwhile, will contest the Sungai Udang seat instead.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali (Lendu), Datuk Zaidi Attan (Serkam), Datuk Siti Faizah Abd Azis (Sungai Rambai), Datuk Rahmad Mariman (Ayer Molek), Datuk VP Shanmugam (Gadek), Datuk Kalsom Noordin (Pengkalan Batu) and Datuk Zahari Abd Kalil (Durian Tunggal) have not been renominated.
The following is the list of BN candidates for the 16th Melaka state election:
N01 Kuala Linggi - Datuk Rosli Abdullah (BN/ incumbent)
N02 Tanjung Bidara - Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusof (BN/ incumbent)
N03 Ayer Limau - Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer (BN/ incumbent)
N04 Lendu - Datuk Abdul Hakim Abdul Wahid (BN/ new)
N05 Taboh Naning - Datuk Zulkiflee Mohd Zin (BN/ incumbent)
N06 Rembia - Ahmad Norazril Abdul Aziz (BN/ new)
N07 Gadek - S Nadarajah (MIC/ new)
N08 Machap Jaya - Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem (MCA/ incumbent)
N09 Durian Tunggal - Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa (BN/ new)
N10 Asahan - Datuk Fairul Nizam Roslan(BN/ incumbent)
N11 Sungai Udang - Datuk Rais Yasin(BN/ contesting different seat)
N12 Pantai Kundor - Datuk Tuminah Kadi (BN/ incumbent)
N14 Kelebang - Datuk Lim Ban Hong (MCA/ incumbent)
N15 Pengkalan Batu -Siti Aisyah Mahmood (BN/ new)
N18 Ayer Molek - Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali (BN/ new)
N21 Duyong - Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem (BN/ incumbent)
N23 Telok Mas - Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman (BN/ incumbent)
N25 Rim - Datuk Khaidirah Abu Zahar (BN/ incumbent)
N26 Serkam - Datuk Azman Abdullah (BN/ new)
N27 Merlimau - Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh (BN/ incumbent)
N28 Sungai Rambai - Jezlee Pit (BN/ new)
The Election Commission (EC) has set November 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, with nomination day on October 31 and early voting on November 10. — Bernama