MELAKA: State Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh is expected to be sworn in as Melaka Chief Minister tomorrow after BN and Perikatan Nasional secured enough seats to form the state government in the 16th Melaka election.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11am at the Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri’s office, paving the way for Rauf to serve a second term as chief minister.
BN and PN won 24 of the 28 state seats contested, giving the coalition partners a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.
BN won 21 seats, while PN secured three.
Earlier, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the two coalitions would nominate Rauf to continue leading the state government following their victory.
Rauf secured a more comfortable victory in defending the Tanjung Bidara seat, winning by a majority of 8,615 votes, compared with just 364 in the 2021 Melaka election.
He defeated Pakatan Harapan candidate Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri in a straight fight.
In the 2021 election, Rauf won Tanjung Bidara in a three-cornered contest with 3,559 votes, ahead of PN candidate Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who secured 3,195 votes, and PH candidate Zainal Hassan, who received 489 votes.
Rauf was appointed the 13th Melaka Chief Minister on March 31, 2023, replacing Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, who resigned.