79 Candidates Await Voters’ Mandate
MELAKA: With the 14-day campaign period for the 16th Melaka State Election ending on Friday, the power to decide now rests with 675,166 ordinary voters who will determine the fate of 79 candidates contesting 28 State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats on Saturday.
From campaign rallies to face-to-face meetings, political parties employed various strategies throughout the 14-day campaign period to convince voters that they were the best choice to represent the voices and aspirations of the people in this historic state.
On Friday, Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman Dr Azmi Sharom said the commission was targeting a voter turnout of around 70 per cent in this state election, with the full results expected to be known before midnight.
The EC had previously gazetted 240 ordinary polling centres with 1,213 polling streams across the state, operating from 8 am to 6 pm to enable registered voters to fulfil their responsibilities.
Overall, 687,697 registered voters are eligible to vote in this Melaka State Election, including 12,531 military personnel and their spouses, as well as police personnel, who had already cast their ballots through early voting on Tuesday.
The early voting process, involving 31 polling centres, recorded 9,417 voters, or 94.96 per cent of the 9,917 eligible early voters, casting their ballots in person on that day, while another 2,614 voted by post.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) fielded the highest number of candidates, contesting 24 seats, followed by Barisan Nasional (BN) with 23 candidates, Parti Bersama Malaysia (16), Bersatu (seven), Perikatan Nasional (five), Parti Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (one) and three Independent candidates.
The state election was held following the dissolution of the 15th Melaka State Legislative Assembly on September 23, after receiving the consent of Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.
In the 15th Melaka State Election held in November 2021, BN won 21 of the 28 state seats, while PH secured five and PN won two.
Bernama