Zahid: BN and PAS to announce Melaka candidates tomorrow

Melaka, October 23 — The leader of Barisan Nasional, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, announced that the coalition will reveal its candidates for the upcoming Melaka State Election tomorrow. The BN plans to field 21 candidates, while PAS and its allied parties will contest seven seats, according to the seat distribution they have agreed upon.

In a press briefing after a BN Supreme Council meeting, Zahid assured that the candidate announcements would be made jointly. He further stated that the seat allocation has been finalized based on each party's projected winnability in their respective constituencies. PAS and its strategic partners also held internal discussions to decide on their seat distribution.

Additionally, Zahid revealed that the Chief Minister of Melaka, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, has been appointed as the BN's election director for the state election. Ab Rauf replaced Umno deputy president and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who will be busy with his overseas engagements during the campaign period. These included attending Commonwealth meetings, representing Malaysia at regional gatherings, participating in the Asean Summit, and visiting other countries.

The Election Commission has scheduled the Melaka state election for November 14, with nominations due on October 31 and early voting on November 10. In the 2021 Melaka state election, the BN secured 21 out of the 28 contested seats in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN), while the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) won five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) emerged victorious with two seats.