MELAKA: MCA is ready to take on all challenges in the Melaka state election as it adds Kota Laksamana to its line-up, bringing the number of seats it will contest to four.
Party president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the party would not shy away from difficult contests, including in constituencies considered strongholds of its political rivals.
"Regardless of the constituency, we will defend the seats we have won.
"Even if we were unsuccessful in the past, or if it is a DAP stronghold, we will not give up and will continue to contest," he said when announcing Melvin Chua as the party's candidate for Kota Laksamana at the launch of the Bandar Hilir service centre in Taman Melaka Raya on Friday (Oct 30).
He acknowledged that Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir would be challenging seats but said MCA was prepared to face the contest and would do its best to win voters' support.
Dr Wee said the candidates for both constituencies were familiar with the local communities through their work as councillors.
"They have been serving the people and engaging with the community all this while.
"They are ready to take on this challenge," he said.
MCA will contest four seats in the Melaka state election, with Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem defending Machap Jaya, Datuk Lim Ban Hong defending Klebang, Jasmine Lok Huey Yee contesting Bandar Hilir and Melvin Chua contesting Kota Laksamana.
Chua, 48, is the chief whip for MCA councillors at the Melaka Historic City Council, while Lok, 38, is a Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman graduate who has served as a city councillor for more than three and a half years.
Dr Wee said Chua and Lok had been actively involved in community work and were prepared to take on the responsibility of representing their respective constituencies at the state level.
He said Chua's candidacy followed further discussions between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, with Dr Wee saying Perikatan had voluntarily returned Kota Laksamana to Barisan after the two coalitions reached a final decision on seat allocation on Oct 30.
He said the decision was made following discussions between the two sides, with Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi agreeing to Chua's candidacy.
In the 2021 state election, MCA contested seven seats and won Machap Jaya and Klebang.
