MELAKA – Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin has downplayed claims that being Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) chief ministerial candidate will give her an edge in winning the Tg Bidara seat, where she faces Umno’s Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Speaking at a press conference today, the Bersatu leader said she does not believe this to be the case, and insisted she will not be resting on her laurels just yet.
Instead, she said she would make full use of the final day of campaigning tomorrow in convincing voters to choose her as well as other PN candidates to allow the coalition to form the new state government.
“I don’t consider the announcement today as an advantage. At the same time, I can’t feel too comfortable.
“As I have said before, to contest in this seat in itself is a challenge for me. And now I only have one day left to garner the support of the Tg Bidara voters.
“I plead to the constituents to give me the confidence and opportunity to represent them as their assemblyman,” she said at a press conference today.
In a separate press conference earlier, PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that Mas Ermieyati is the coalition’s pick for the chief minister position should the coalition capture the state come polling day.
She was touted as one of only two potential candidates from Bersatu for the highly sought-after post – the other being Melaka Bersatu’s liaison chief Datuk Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen.
Mas Ermieyati will be taking on her former mentor Rauf in Umno stronghold Tg Bidara, in what is said will be the hottest contest in the state polls.
Besides her, the other chief minister candidates are Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali and Pakatan Harapan’s Adly Zahari, the two immediate past post-holders.
Mas Ermieyati said she is now banking on the female voters in Melaka – which make up 51.43% of the overall electorate – to give her and other PN candidates the mandate to rule the state.
“In Melaka, there are more female voters than male. In fact, in Tg Bidara, the composition of voters is 52% women and 48% men. That is why I hope the female electorate will give PN a chance to form the government.”
Meanwhile, Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, responding to the awkward timing to announce the chief minister pick so close to polling day, said this was done on purpose to allow voters to get to know all of the party’s candidates in the state election first.
At the same time, he said, PN did not want to be seen as a party whose members are squabbling among each other for the state’s top post.
“I would like to remind everyone again that the very reason the election is held today is because of infighting among certain individuals over the position of the chief minister,” he said, ostensibly referring to Umno.
“We are not like that. We won’t repeat such an action. And when we look at the reception we received today (over the chief minister announcement), I feel like our strategy was the right one. The excitement among the rakyat is clear,” he said. – The Vibes, November 18, 2021
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