SHAH ALAM – Pakatan Harapan (PH) held all four state seats that DAP was defending in the 16th Melaka state election on Nov 14, according to official results from the Election Commission.
DAP’s Allex Seah Shoo Chin retained Kesidang (N19) with 21,986 votes, or 60 per cent of the 36,623 cast, for a majority of 9,352. Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Albert Kok polled 12,634 votes (34.5 per cent) and Bersama’s Dr Bryan Kek Kit Hun 2,003 (5.5 per cent).
Seah has held the seat since 2018 and his majority was 10,237 in 2021. Barisan Nasional (BN) did not contest this time.
In Ayer Keroh (N16), DAP’s Kerk Chee Yee won with 14,078 votes (55.1 per cent) and a majority of 5,604. PN’s Michael Gan Peng Lam received 8,474 votes (33.2 per cent). Bersama’s Muhammad Muhaimin Lau Abdullah took 1,932 and Bersatu’s Mohd Hamnaim Mohamad 1,077 in a four-cornered fight.
Kerk’s majority is 20 votes lower than the 5,624 he won in 2021. PH has held the seat since 2008. Even if Hamnaim’s votes were added to Gan’s (9,551 in total), Kerk would still be ahead by 4,527.
Ayer Keroh had been billed as a test of “Malay unity” because BN sat out and MCA ceded the seat so that Gan, the Melaka Gerakan chief, could contest for PN. The result shows the pitch did not translate into votes. Bersatu, also a PN component, fielded its own candidate against him.
In Kota Laksamana (N20), DAP’s Low Chee Leong won with 14,599 votes (68.4 per cent) and a majority of 9,424, down from 11,494 in 2021. BN’s Melvin Chua of MCA received 5,175 votes (24.2 per cent), and Bersama’s Ethan Lim Zhi Hao took 1,582 (7.4 per cent). PN had returned the seat to BN before nomination.
In Bandar Hilir (N22), DAP’s Leng Chau Yen polled 9,942 votes (74.5 per cent) for a majority of 7,857, 79 votes more than her 2021 margin. BN’s Jasmine Lok Huey Yee of MCA received 2,085 votes (15.6 per cent), and Bersama’s Ir Dr Rashidi Jalil took 1,315 (9.9 per cent).
Bersama, co-led by former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, fielded candidates in all four seats and polled between 5.5 per cent and 9.9 per cent.
DAP did not sweep every contest. In Duyong, its candidate Poo Long Suan lost to BN’s Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem by 10,040 votes.