[UPDATED] Sulaiman ‘poster boy’ of BN’s 28 candidates for Melaka, says Tok Mat

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno will be taking the lion’s share of the Barisan Nasional (BN) seat allocations in Melaka with 20 candidates, while MCA is left with seven spots and MIC with one.

During Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s announcement today, he said five of the 28 candidates will be women – four from Umno and one from MCA.

He also confirmed that Melaka BN chairman and Umno strongman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh will be contesting the Tg Bidara seat, while Lendu incumbent Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali remains the “poster boy” to lead the state.

“He (Sulaiman) will be our poster boy for the chief minister’s (CM) position, but he has to first win his seat,” said Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat.

Senarai Calon #BN #BarisanNasional utk #PRNMelaka yg telah diumumkan pada 6 Nov 2021 pic.twitter.com/jS65Ix0Tec

— Ahmad b Maslan (@ahmadmaslan) November 6, 2021

He added 86% of the candidates are fresh faces, while only four of the 28 BN runners are incumbents, and 28% of the candidates are below the age of 45, including MCA’s Leong Hui Ying, who is 29.

“We selected those from a range of professions as there are lawyers, engineers and doctors in our fold,” Mohamad said.

“We have a combination of experienced and young people so that the Melaka state government will be a good administration that can provide stability and prosperity.”

Following PAS’ decision to cooperate with Perikatan Nasional, Tok Mat said BN will be contesting on its own.

“We are pleased to inform you that we will go at it (elections) alone and without any other party. We are going as a cohesive coalition that is multiracial.”

He said all candidates will be made to sign agreements that prevent them from party-hopping, should they win the seats. This, he said, is in line with BN’s “Kestabilan Demi Kemakmuran” (stability for prosperity) theme for the polls.

“In line with the theme, for the first time and for the sake of stability...all candidates must sign agreements so that they do not hop between parties.

“This will allow us to take legal action against those who break the agreement. This is the commitment we are making for the people.”

Of the candidates announced, the incumbents are Sulaiman (Lendu), Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis (Rembia), Datuk Rahmad Mariman (Ayer Molek), and Datuk Zaidi Atan (Serkam).

Sulaiman lost his CM position after the Melaka four – Datuk Seri Idris Haron (Sg Udang), Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) and Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) – pulled their support, triggering the snap election.

Weeks ago, Jailani was in the news after a leaked audio purportedly of him and Norhizam that discussed, among others, the offering of millions of ringgit to support the Umno-led state government.

When contacted for comment, Jailani shrugged it off as mere “hearsay”, saying he is “not interested to relate to the matter”. 

Jailani, who left PKR and became an independent for nine months, joined Umno on January 2.

Meanwhile, Sg Udang incumbent and former Umno leader Idris will be facing Deputy Dewan Negara Speaker Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad.

Umno is seeking to wrest Pantai Kundor from incumbent and former party man Azman by putting up Tuminah Kadi @ Mohd Hashim, while Hang Tuah Jaya Umno deputy chief Datuk Hasnoor Sdg Husin will be challenging Melaka Pakatan Harapan chief and incumbent Adly Zahari.

Multi-corner fight

Pengkalan Batu is shaping up to be a multi-corner fight with Umno’s Datuk Kalsom Nordin, incumbent and former DAP man Norhizam, and Melaka DAP youth secretary Muhamad Danish Zainudin.

Taboh Naning’s challenger, Zulkiflee Mohd Zin, is the son of former works minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed.

Rim challenger Datuk Khaidhirah “Dira” Abu Zahar is a popular actress and politician. She is Jasin Umno Puteri chief and daughter of Melaka’s eighth CM Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Isnin. – The Vibes, November 6, 2021

Here’s the complete list of BN candidates:

N01 Kuala Linggi – Rosli Abdullah

N02 Tg Bidara – Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh

N03 Ayer Limau – Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer

N04 Lendu – Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali 

N05 Taboh Naning – Zulkiflee Mohd Zin

N06 Rembia – Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis

N07 Gadek – P. Shanmugam V. Ptcyhay

N08 Machap Jaya – Ngwe Hee Sem

N09 Durian Tunggal – Zahari Abd Khalil

N10 Asahan – Fairul Nizam Roslan

N11 Sg Udang – Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad 

N12 Pantai Kundor – Tuminah Kadi @ Mohd Hashim

N13 Paya Rumput – Datuk Rais Yasin

N14 Kelebang – Datuk Lim Ban Hong

N15 Pengkalan Batu – Datuk Kalsom Nordin

N16 Ayer Keroh – Yong Fun Juan

N17 Bukit Katil – Datuk Hasnoor Sdg Husin

N18 Ayer Molek – Datuk Rahmad Mariman

N19 Kesidang – Leong Hui Yin

N20 Kota Laksamana – Benjaminn Low Chin Hong 

N21 Duyong – Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem

N22 Bandar Hilir – Lee Kah Sean

N23 Telok Mas – Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman

N24 Bemban Datuk Koh Chin Han

N25 Rim – Datuk Khaidhirah Abu Zahar

N26 Serkam – Datuk Zaidi Attan

N27 Merlimau – Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh

N28 Sg Rambai – Siti Faizah Abdul Azis