Melaka polls: BN to field Rauf, Akmal, Noor Helmy, unveils eight new faces

MELAKA - 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 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:

The Election Commission (EC) has set Nov 14 as polling day for the Melaka state election, with nomination day on Oct 31 and early voting on Nov 10. - BERNAMA