MELAKA: The Melaka state election saw several firsts beginning with its nomination day on Nov 8.
It was the first state to follow in the footsteps of Sabah, which changed its chief minister three times since the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018.
Besides this, for the first time in history, the state election was held separately and not simultaneously with parliamentary seats during a general election.
The Melaka polls also saw the participation of Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman), and 13 Independent candidates.
Gerakan used the Perikatan Nasional logo and PAS, as part of the Perikatan coalition, “sacrificed” its logo by contesting under the coalition logo.
The last time PAS did not use its logo was in the fourth general election in 1974 when it contested on a Barisan Nasional ticket, before it left Barisan in 1977 and contested as an Opposition party in GE5 in 1978.
Gerakan, meanwhile, had previously used the Barisan logo before leaving the coalition on June 23, 2018 – after GE14 – which saw it defeated in all 11 parliamentary seats and 31 state seats it contested.
In this election, too, Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee contested for the first time on an Independent ticket to defend the Pengkalan Batu state seat which he won in GE14 on a Pakatan Harapan ticket.
On March 2, 2020, Norhizam, who was then Melaka DAP deputy chairman, expressed his support for the new Perikatan state government and was sacked by DAP.
Melaka also created history with Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin named chief minister-designate by Perikatan.
The Melaka chief minister’s post was first held by Tan Sri Osman Talib, followed by Tun Ghafar Baba, Datuk Talib Karim, Datuk Setia Abdul Ghani Ali, Datuk Seri Adib Adam and Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik.
Also in the list of 12 former chief ministers are Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Abdul Ghani, Datuk Seri Abu Zahar Ithnin, Tun Ali Rustam, Datuk Seri Idris Haron, Adly Zahari and lastly, Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
For the first time in the nation’s history, too, public speeches, lectures, physical campaigning, house-to-house visits, walkabouts and leaflet distribution were not allowed under the new norm. — Bernama
