MELAKA: Two first-time contestants have pulled off impressive wins in the Umno elections in Melaka.
In Tangga Batu, Datuk Rais Yasin defeated party stalwart and incumbent Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad with a razor-thin majority of four votes.
Rais, who is first-time Paya Rumput assemblyman and also Melaka education, technology and telecommunications committee chairman, garnered 282 votes against Mohamad Ali 278 votes.
In Jasin, National Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who contested for the first time, defeated incumbent Datuk Hasan Rahman, making him the youngest division leader in the state.
Hasan Rahman was a former Sungai Rambai assemblyman and a state exco member.
Dr Muhamad Akmal, who is the Melaka health and anti-drug committee chairman, obtained 340 votes in a four-cornered battle in the party's division election.The other candidates were Serkam assemblyman and Melaka housing, local government and environment committee chairman Datuk Zaidi Attan as well as Datuk Yusof Osman.
