CARETAKER Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh will face Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri in a straight fight to defend the Tanjung Bidara seat in the 16th Melaka state election.
A similar contest awaits voters in Ayer Molek, where Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali will take on Melaka PKR Youth chief Muhammad Hakimin Mokhtar.
Ab Rauf’s candidacy was announced by Tanjung Bidara returning officer Saifuddin Abdul Karim at Dewan Datuk Kapt (B) Haji Ab Karim, Japerun Complex, at about 10.35 am.
The caretaker chief minister had arrived at the nomination centre at about 9am, wearing a blue Baju Melayu and accompanied by BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Thousands of BN supporters, dressed in the party’s blue, had gathered from as early as 7am. They marched about 100 metres towards the centre, waving party flags and chanting “blue wave” as they escorted Ab Rauf into the premises.
Yunazri arrived at about 8.20am and entered the nomination centre at 9.06am.
Ab Rauf won Tanjung Bidara in the 2021 state election with 3,559 votes, defeating Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Zainal Hassan by a majority of 364 votes.
The constituency has 15,003 registered voters, based on the Election Commission’s electoral roll updated as of July.
In Ayer Molek, returning officer Rizalman Syed announced Ridhwan and Hakimin as the two candidates contesting the seat.
Ridhwan, who is also the Hang Tuah Jaya Umno division chief and the son of Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, is making his second attempt at electoral politics.
He previously contested the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election but lost to Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim by a majority of 8,638 votes.
Hakimin, 35, is a newcomer to electoral politics and currently heads Melaka PKR Youth.
Ayer Molek has 24,600 registered voters, according to EC figures. - October 31, 2026
