Melaka polls: Independent candidates say securing win a priority; too early for cooperation talk

MELAKA, Nov 18 — Independent candidates are mostly focusing on winning the seats they are contesting in the Melaka state election on November 20 before making any decision to work with other parties to form the state government.

Former Bemban assemblyman Datuk Ng Choon Koon, who will be contesting the same seat this time around, said it was too early to assume there would be no party winning with a clear majority.

“My focus is now on the election, only after that, we will consider (cooperating with other parties).

“I feel it’s too early to make that assumption (no party with a clear majority),” he said when speaking to Bernama here. 

Ng was elected Bemban assemblyman when contesting as a BN candidate in the 13th general election (GE13) but lost when he was fielded in the Kesidang seat in GE14.

The Melaka state election will see Ng in a five-cornered fight with Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Dr Yadzil Yaakub, Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Datuk Tey Kok Kiew, Datuk Koh Chin Han of BN and another Independent candidate, Azmi Kamis.

Prior to this, BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the coalition was willing to cooperate with any party to form the state government while PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was quoted as saying that any decision for cooperation will be made after the election.

Meanwhile, Pengkalan Batu Independent candidate Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee, who will also be involved in a five-cornered contest as the incumbent, said securing the seat was the priority before making any decision in the interest of the people.

Norhizam had won the Pengkalan Batu Seat in GE14 under a Pakatan Harapan ticket but in March last year pledged his support for the new PN state government.

Norhizam said he would rather not see a “hung” situation in which there was no one party having the required number of seats to form the state government.

“I cannot be serving my own interests, and I can’t be egoistic about this, it has to be for the people. I would be a mean person if we are to allow a ‘hung’ situation.

The EC set polling date for the Melaka state election on November 20 following the dissolution of the state assembly on October 4, after four state assemblymen withdrew support for the chief minister at the time. — Bernama