ALOR GAJAH, Nov 8 — Barisan Nasional (BN) will be launching its manifesto for the Melaka state election virtually this Wednesday.

Melaka BN chairman, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the manifesto would provide the best suggestions to develop the state if the people gave BN the mandate to return as the state government.

"We’ll wait for the manifesto and how it will be used for the good of the people,” he said at a news conference held at his house in Kampung Pulau, Masjid Tanah, here, today.

Meanwhile, he regarded the contest for the state seat of Tanjung Bidara involving himself; Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Keadilan Masjid Tanah branch organising chairman, Zainal Hassan as a stiff one.

"It involves a party that brings sustainability in managing the people and other parties with their own ideology.

"This is not a contest for the individuals involved to show their popularity but of parties with different ideologies. We see that it has been proven by the space given to the parties (to administer the state) for 22 months... (compared to) 18 months when BN showed its maturity in managing the people during that period,” he said.

The Election Commission has set today for the nomination of candidates for the Melaka state election, November 20 for polling and November 16 for early voting following the dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly on October 4 when four of the assemblymen withdrew their support for the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.

Melaka has 28 state seats and 495,196 registered voters with 240,530 or 48.57 per cent of them being males and 254,666 or 51.43 per cent, females. — Bernama