MELAKA, Nov 18 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) today took a bold step by announcing Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin as its candidate for chief minister if the party wins the Melaka state election this Saturday.

PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement essentially puts to rest all speculations about who will lead the state before this and for the first time, Melaka may be creating history if the Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament is appointed as the chief minister.

Before this, besides Mas Ermieyati, Bersatu vice-president who is also PN Melaka chairman Datuk Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen’s name was also mentioned for the post.

The question now is with the announcement, will there be a last-minute change in the voting pattern in Melaka with only one day of campaigning left, especially for the Tanjung Bidara state seat.

Commenting on this, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Raub Campus Faculty of Administration Science and Policy Study senior lecturer Che Hamdan Che Mohd Razali said the changing voting pattern would depend on the last-minute method of delivery by the party’s election machinery.

“Because of the propaganda from the parties contesting and also the issue of chief minister, the delivery method could probably influence the voting pattern but only with a limited impact.

In terms of chances, Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), to me, do not have any impact because up to today, both parties appear to be more dominant compared to PN.

“Maybe their confidence level is based on the results of the last election. Nevertheless, with PN’s sincerity in naming Mas Ermieyati as its candidate for chief minister, it may reduce the votes for BN,” he told Bernama here today.

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) political analyst Prof Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said the announcement was an interesting strategy to attract women voters and also youth in the state aside from avoiding a polemic against a chief minister candidate if it was announced much earlier.

He also said the announcement was seen as an endorsement for women besides challenging the Masjid Tanah Bersatu division chief to deliver a victory for PN in the state election.

“We have witnessed who the people of Melaka want to follow. Adly Zahari (PH Chief Minister candidate), Mas Ermieyati or Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali (BN Chief Minister candidate). I believe it all depends on the rakyat’s perspective. Can Melaka be led by a woman? It’s a risk but also an opportunity for women,” he said.

Mohd Azizuddin thinks appointing a woman to the highest position in the state is not a problem.

“The problem is, never in the history of Melaka, a woman is appointed as chief minister or mentri besar. If that happens, it would be a first, and history is created by appointing a woman as the chief minister, but that is only if PN wins,” he said.

The Melaka chief minister post had been held by 12 individuals namely, Tan Sri Osman Talib, followed by Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba, Datuk Talib Karim, Datuk Setia Abdul Ghani Ali, Datuk Seri Adib Adam, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik, Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Abdul Ghani, Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Ithnin, Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, Datuk Seri Idris Haron, Adly Zahari and Sulaiman Md Ali.

Mohd Azizuddin also viewed that naming Mas Ermieyati, could also bolster the number of votes to other PN candidates 

The Melaka state election is held following the dissolution of the state assembly last October 4 after four state assemblymen withdrew their support for the chief minister. PN is contesting in all the 28 seats with Bersatu contesting 15 seats, PAS (eight) and Gerakan (five). — Bernama