By MIKE PAUL
MELAKA, Nov 15 — Melaka Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh is scheduled to be sworn in as Melaka Chief Minister today, opening his second term in the state’s top post a day after the BN-Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance swept the 16th Melaka state election.
The swearing-in ceremony was set for 11am at the hall of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri’s Office in Ayer Keroh, according to a media notice issued on Saturday by the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office media unit.
Named by Zahid after a two-thirds win
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed Ab Rauf as the alliance’s choice to continue leading the state shortly after the results came in on Saturday night.
The Election Commission’s official results gave BN 21 seats, Pakatan Harapan (PH) four and PN three. With PN’s three seats, the BN-PN partnership controls 24 of the 28 seats in the state assembly, a two-thirds majority.
Announcing the outcome at the Melaka International Trade Centre on Saturday night, Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki told supporters that the coalition had “won enough seats to form the Melaka state government”.
A far bigger majority in Tanjung Bidara
Ab Rauf retained his Tanjung Bidara seat with a majority of 8,615 votes in a straight fight against PH’s Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri. In the 2021 state election, he won the same seat by just 364 votes.
At 65, he was also the oldest winning candidate in this year’s polls, according to Sinar Harian.
Ab Rauf first became Melaka’s 13th Chief Minister on March 31, 2023, replacing Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, who stepped down from the post. Today’s ceremony marks the first time he takes office on the back of a state election mandate.
What comes next
Once sworn in, the Chief Minister is expected to name his new state executive council line-up. The composition of the exco will be closely watched, as it will show how BN shares state portfolios with its PN partner, which won all three of its seats through PAS-affiliated candidates.
For a seat-by-seat look at the election, read our report on the official Melaka election results and how the early count unfolded on polling night. Official state government announcements are available on the Melaka State Government portal.
– TNS News