KUALA LUMPUR – The upcoming Melaka election will see a tight battle as 112 individuals contest for the 28 seats in the state assembly.
After the conclusion of nominations at 10am today, Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh revealed that 11 constituencies would see three-cornered fights.
Meanwhile, nine constituencies will see four-cornered contests, five constituencies note five-cornered battles, and three are having six-cornered fights.
This, Ghani said, would result in tight races in the state balloting this time around compared with the last general election that saw only 85 individuals contesting for the 28 seats.
However, despite the tight battles, there is a vast difference between male and female participation as 96 men are competing compared to only 16 women.
Ghani said the race in the Pengkalan Batu constituency features the oldest candidate, a 68-year-old representing Barisan Nasional, while the youngest candidate will contest in Sg Rambai at the age of 21.
With regard to standard operating procedures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, he assures that the EC will follow guidelines set by the Health Ministry (MoH) and National Security Council.
Accordingly, there are to be no gatherings, public campaigns, walkabouts, and home visits prior to the election set for November 20.
“Nevertheless, candidates can utilise mass media, social media, and also vans or lorries to campaign,” Ghani told a press conference here today.
He encourages residents of the state to come out and cast their ballots, as measures are in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
He said a special tent with MoH staff will be provided for those who go out to vote yet exhibit symptoms, particularly individuals who record body temperatures above 37.5°C.
Among the races that will be closely watched is the Bukit Katil seat, where former Melaka chief minister Adly Zahari is embroiled in a four-cornered fight.
Adly, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate from Amanah and the incumbent there, faces opponents from Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS-Perikatan Nasional (PN), and an independent, reported Getaran, The Vibes’ Malay language sister portal.
The three challengers are Datuk Hasnoor Sidang Husin (BN), Muhammad Al Afiz Yahya (PN), and Abdul Hamid Mustapah (independent).
Adly was chief minister from May 2018 to February last year.
Speaking to reporters after his nomination was confirmed, Adly expressed confidence in being able to retain the seat, which he won with a majority of 3,159 votes in the 2018 general election.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron will also be facing five opponents in the highly sought-after Asahan seat.
The former Umno man is representing PH in this election.
In a surprise turn of events, three independent candidates made their appearances at the nomination centre here today.
They join BN’s Fairul Nizam Roslan and PN’s Dhanesh Basil, both of whom had already been announced by their respective coalitions as their choice of candidates.
Idris was chief minister from 2013 to 2018. – The Vibes, November 8, 2021
