MELAKA, Nov 6 — The Perikatan Nasional (PN) will contest in all 28 seats in the Melaka state election on Nov 20, announced its chairman, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today.
He said of the total, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will contest in 15 seats while PAS eight and Gerakan five seats.
The matter was stated during the announcement of the list of candidates and the hand-over credential letters to the coalition’s 28 candidates in Shah Alam, Selangor, today.
Among the candidates are Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament (MP) who is also Masjid Tanah Bersatu chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, to contest for the Tanjung Bidara seat against her two opponents – Melaka UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Zainal Hassan from Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Also announced as a candidate is Bersatu vice-president Datuk Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen who moved from the Paya Rumput seat to Telok Mas in the upcoming polls.
Meanwhile, Melaka PAS commissioner Datuk Kamarudin Sidek has returned to contest for the Duyong state seat.
In the 14th General Election (GE14), Kamarudin obtained 2,930 votes in a three-cornered fight which saw the Duyong state seat won by DAP’s Damian Baba Yeo who obtained 7,642 votes. Another candidate was Lee Kiat Lee of MCA who received 4,747 votes.
Elsewhere, Gerakan vice-president and Melaka Gerakan chairman Datuk Seri Michael Gan Peng Lam will contest in Ayer Keroh.
In the Asahan state seat, PN is fielding another candidate from Gerakan, Dhanesh Basil, who is also the president of the Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MIYC).
Speaking on the background of the candidates, Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, said 43 per cent of the candidates are those aged 40 and below and a majority of them are professionals and highly educated.
