KUALA LUMPUR: Melaka Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh has been nominated as the state’s next chief minister.
Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the nomination has been submitted to Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Mohd Ali Rustam.
“I have submitted a letter to the Melaka governor after receiving Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali’s resignation. With this, our party has proposed Rauf as the next Melaka chief minister, full stop,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting at the Parliament building here yesterday.
Asked why Sulaiman resigned, Ahmad Zahid said it was due to health reasons.
Pressed to explain the composition of the state exco under the new chief minister, he said the matter had been discussed and it would reflect the spirit of the unity government at the federal level.
“I am confident the same spirit will be brought to Melaka in order for better optics not only for the state but for all Malaysians,” he said.
The swearing-in ceremony for Melaka’s new chief minister will be held at 3pm today, said state secretary Datuk Wira Zaidi Johari.
He said the ceremony would be held at the main hall of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri’s office in Ayer Keroh here.
Sulaiman, 56, who is Lendu assemblyman, was first sworn in as the 12th Melaka chief minister on March 9, 2020, after the Pakatan Harapan-led state government collapsed.
