At 26, Pakatan candidate Nana says age is no barrier to serving voters as she contests Kelebang seat

Farzana Hayani, popularly known as Nana, said candidates should be judged on their ability to serve the community and resolve issues affecting their constituencies. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

First Published: Wednesday, 04 Nov 2026 11:12 AM MYT

MELAKA, Nov 4 — Age should not be the deciding factor in selecting election candidates, as greater emphasis should be placed on their ability to champion the people’s aspirations, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the 16th Melaka state election, Farzana Hayani Mohd Nasir.

Farzana Hayani, popularly known as Nana, said candidates should be judged on their ability to serve the community and resolve issues affecting their constituencies.

“Look at (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Even at 80, he is still full of energy. So, at just 26, we should take him as an example and work even harder and with greater determination.

“To me, age alone is not the yardstick. We should be judged by our work and what we can deliver,” the PH candidate for the Kelebang seat told Bernama.

Speaking about her second attempt at securing a state seat, Farzana Hayani said she was better prepared this time compared with her debut in the 15th Melaka state election in 2021, when she contested the Sungai Rambai seat.

“In Kelebang, I have been actively serving as Tangga Batu Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) chief. Initially, I had no plans to contest again, but the PH chairman has once again entrusted me with this responsibility.

“So, we had already focused on the groundwork much earlier. As a Bukit Rambai native, I am familiar with several issues affecting the local community, particularly those faced by padi farmers and fishermen,” she said.

Farzana Hayani is facing Datuk Lim Ban Hong of Barisan Nasional, Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad of Bersatu and Young Jie Yu of Bersama in a four-cornered contest for the seat.

The Election Commission (EC) has set Nov 10 for early voting and Nov 14 for polling.

For the latest updates on the 16th Melaka state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/. — Bernama