MELAKA, Nov 6 ― Former Pengkalan Batu assemblyman Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee has denied he is contesting under the ticket of Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) in the Melaka state election scheduled on November 20.

Norhizam said he would remain independent without being a member of any political party to date.

"I have been independent, and now I am still independent in carrying out my work. I will be calling the media soon,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Earlier a portal today reported that Norhizam is going to be the sole Pejuang candidate in the Melaka election.

Norhizam, 55, was formerly the state Agriculture, Livestock, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman won the Pengkalan Batu seat on a Pakatan Harapan (PH) ticket in the 14h general election (GE14).

However, on March 2, 2020, Norhizam who was also Melaka DAP deputy chairman pledged his support for the new state government under Perikatan Nasional (PN), and was sacked by DAP.

The Election Commission set polling day on November 20 while nomination day will be on November 8 and early voting on November 16.

The election was called following the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly on October 4, when four assemblymen withdrew their support for Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.

They were Norhizam, Datuk Seri Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor) and Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas). ― Bernama