Melaka polls: Ab Rauf in straight fight to defend Tanjung Bidara

MELAKA: The Tanjung Bidara seat will see a straight fight between caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh and Pakatan Harapan candidate Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri in the Melaka election.

The candidates were announced by Tanjung Bidara Election Commission (EC) returning officer Saifuddin Abdul Karim at the nomination centre at Dewan Datuk Kapt (B) Haji Ab Karim, Japerun Complex, about 10.35am.

Earlier, Ab Rauf, wearing a blue Baju Melayu, arrived at the nomination centre at about 9am, accompanied by Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He was also accompanied by thousands of BN supporters dressed in blue, who had gathered as early as 7am. They marched about 100 metres, waving party flags and chanting "blue wave" as they escorted Ab Rauf into the nomination centre.

Meanwhile, Yunazri arrived at the centre about 8.20am and entered the premises at 9.06am.

In the 2021 Melaka election, Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka BN chairman, secured 3,559 votes to defeat his two challengers, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Zainal Hassan, with a majority of 364 votes.

According to the EC electoral roll updated as of July, a total of 15,003 registered voters in Tanjung Bidara are eligible to cast their ballots in the election.

Another seat seeing a straight fight is Ayer Molek, where BN candidate Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali will face Melaka PKR Youth chief Muhammad Hakimin Mokhtar.

The candidates were announced by Ayer Molek returning officer Rizalman Syed.

For Ridhwan, who is the son of Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, this will be his second attempt at electoral politics after he first contested the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election.

He lost to Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim by a majority of 8,638 votes.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Hakimin is a new face in the election.

According to EC data, Ayer Molek has 24,600 registered voters.