Umno-DAP clash expected as BN fields majority new faces for Melaka polls

Barisan Nasional (BN) today announced that it would retain only four incumbents for the Melaka state election on Nov 20, with its lynchpin party Umno expected to clash with DAP in at least one seat.

BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan when announcing the list of candidates said 86% of them would be new faces.

The four incumbents are Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali; Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Rahmad Mariman; Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman Muhammad Jailani Khamis; and Zaidi Attan.

Jailani had won the Rembia state seat on a PKR ticket in the 14th general election (GE14) before leaving the party and joining Umno on Jan 1.

“We will have 20 candidates from Umno, seven from MCA and one from MIC for the state election,” Mohamad said at the announcement of BN candidates at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today, as reported by Bernama.

Also present were MCA president Wee Ka Siong and BN advisory board chairman Najib Razak.

Umno is expected to clash with DAP in at least one seat, with Kalsom Nordin and Muhamad Danish Zainudin both gunning for the Pengkalan Batu state seat.

According to Bernama, Melaka Umno liaison committee chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh will be fielded for the first time in Tanjung Bidara while his deputy who is also the senate deputy president, Mohamad Ali Mohamad, was named as BN’s candidate for the Sungai Udang state seat.

The announcement saw eight incumbents – Ismail Othman (Kuala Linggi), Md Rawi Mahmud (Tanjung Bidara), Amirudin Yusof (Ayer Limau), Latipah Omar (Taboh Naning), Abdul Ghafar Atan (Asahan), Ghazale Mohamad (Rim), Roslan Ahmad (Merlimau) and Hasan Abd Rahman (Sungai Rambai) – dropped from the list.

Mohamad, who is also BN election director, said the fresh faces include Umno Supreme Council member Khaidhirah Abu Zahar who was named as candidate for the Rim state seat; Melaka Umno Youth chief Fairul Nizam Roslan (Asahan); Rosli Abdullah (Kuala Linggi); Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer (Ayer Limau); Zulkiflee Mohd Zain (Taboh Naning); Muhamad Akmal Saleh (Merlimau); and Siti Faizah Abdul Azis (Sungai Rambai).

“A majority of our candidates are below 50. We will also have five women candidates for the state election,” he said, adding that BN will contest in all 28 state seats on its own, using its own logo.