ALOR GAJAH, Nov 5 — All 28 candidates chosen to represent Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Melaka state election must sign a statutory declaration (SD) to prevent them from leaving the party after winning, said BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said the SD was being prepared by lawyers and will be signed by all BN candidates prior to the announcement of their candidacies tomorrow.

"This is for the sake of political stability in the country, especially Melaka. As there is no such act or enactment in Parliament or the (Melaka) state assembly yet, we need to have this declaration and two or three more documents for the candidates to sign before they receive their credentials tomorrow,” he told reporters at an Umno event in Kampung Pulau here today.

Mohamad, who is Umno deputy president and Melaka state election director, also said that 90 per cent of the candidates are new faces.

The Election Commission (EC) has set November 20 for polling for the Melaka state election and November 8 as nomination day. Early voting will be conducted on November 16.

The state election was called following the dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly after four assemblymen, Datuk Seri Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas), withdrew their support for Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali. — Bernama