GE15: Melaka CM Sulaiman says leaving it to Umno leaders to decide if he will contest parliamentary seat

MELAKA: Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali (pic) will leave it to the Barisan Nasional and Umno leadership to decide on his candidacy for the Masjid Tanah parliamentary constituency in the 15th General Election (GE15).

The Melaka Chief Minister said he abided by any decisions made by the top leadership on being a candidate in GE15.

"I will follow the (Barisan and Umno) leaders' wishes and I will offer myself as a candidate if they want me to contest in GE15.

"I am a staunch Umno man and love my party and will follow the decision made by the leadership," he said on Tuesday (Oct 11).

Sulaiman was earlier asked on the speculation that he may need to relinquish his chief minister position if he was fielded as a candidate and wins in GE15.

However, the Lendu assemblyman said it was still early to dwell on his position as the chief minister after GE15.

"I may continue as the chief minister or I may not," he added.

Talk is rife that either Melaka Umno chief Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, Masjid Tanah Umno Youth chief Abdul Hakim Abdul Wahid or Sulaiman was expected to be named as candidate for the Masjid Tanah parliamentary seat against incumbent Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin who won the constituency under Barisan’s banner in GE14 before exiting and joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in December 2018.

Mas Ermieyati, who is considered a heavyweight by political pundits, was expected to defend the parliamentary seat under Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket.

Melaka will only witness contests for parliamentary seats as the state legislative assembly will not be dissolved in view that the state polls were held on Nov 20 last year.

Barisan won 21 of 28 state seats it contested in the Melaka state election.