KUALA LUMPUR — A total of 79 candidates will contest the 28 seats in the 16th Melaka State Election on Nov 14, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) fielding the most candidates at 24.
The Election Commission (EC) in a statement after the close of nominations today said Barisan Nasional (BN) was fielding the second-highest number of candidate, at 23.
Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) is fielding 16 candidates, followed by Bersatu with seven, Perikatan Nasional (PN) with five, Putra with one, while three candidates are contesting as independents.
The state election will see 11 straight fights, 11 three-cornered contests, and six four-cornered battles.
Six seats will have four-cornered contests, namely Gadek, Kelebang, Pengkalan Batu, Ayer Keroh, Bukit Katil and Bemban.
Among the prominent political figures confirmed as candidates are Melaka Chief Minister and state BN chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, who is in a straight fight against PH candidate Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri in Tanjung Bidara.
Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari, the Bukit Kati incumbent, will face a four-cornered contest to defend his seat. His challengers are Ridzuan Sarif of PN, Dr Aliza Che Amran of Bersama and independent candidate Abu Bakar Sabudin.
Prime Minister's Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Political Secretary Datuk Azman Abidin is making his electoral debut in Paya Rumput, where he faces a three-cornered contest against PN's Rafie Ahmad and Bersama's Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar.
The seat was previously held by BN's Datuk Rais Yasin, who is contesting Sungai Udang instead.
BN Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh will defend his Merlimau seat in a straight fight against PH candidate Rahayu Hamzah.
The Machap Jaya seat, one of four seats to be contested by BN’s MCA, will see two former state exco members face each other in a three-cornered fight.
Machap Jaya incumbent Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem, representing BN, will defend the seat against former assemblyman Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin of PH and B. Prasanth Kumar of Bersama.
Prior to Ngwe’s win in the 2021 election, the seat had been PH’s, won by Lim in 2018.
MCA will contest in three other seats, Kelebang, Bandar Hilir and Kota Laksamana.
The EC has set November 10 for early voting and November 14 as polling day.
A total of 687,697 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, comprising 675,166 ordinary voters, 9,769 military personnel and their spouses, and 2,762 police personnel.
The 28-seat Melaka State Legislative Assembly was dissolved on Sept 23 with the consent of Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.
In the 2021 state election, BN won 21 seats, comprising 18 by UMNO, two by MCA and one by MIC, securing a more than two-thirds majority to form the state government.
PH won five seats, with DAP securing four and Amanah one, while PN won two seats. - October 31, 2026
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