ALOR GAJAH: Barisan Nasional's Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem will face two challengers in a three-cornered contest for the Machap Jaya seat in the Melaka state election.
The MCA incumbent will defend the seat against Pakatan Harapan's Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin and Parti Bersama Malaysia's (Bersama) B. Prasanth Kumar, a former special officer to the Melaka chief minister.
Ngwe arrived at a food stall near the nomination centre at about 7.45am for breakfast with supporters. He was accompanied by MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon and Terengganu MCA state liaison committee chairman Datuk Dr Monna Ong Siew Siew.
Lim arrived at Kompleks Japerun Machap Jaya in Bukit Bulat at about 8.20am with her supporters, accompanied by several PKR leaders, including its vice-president Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who is also Home Minister and Pakatan secretary-general.
Also present were PKR vice-president and Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, PKR Wanita chief and Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek, and PKR central leadership council member Dr Maszlee Malik.
Prasanth arrived at the nomination centre at about 8am with his supporters.
Returning officer Hamka Dollah later confirmed that all three candidates had been cleared to contest after their nomination papers were accepted.
He said the nomination papers were received from the Pakatan candidate at 9.05am, the Bersama candidate at 9.13am and Ngwe at 9.19am.
“All three nomination papers were checked and none was rejected,” he told reporters at Kompleks Japerun Machap Jaya.
Lim previously won the seat in the 2018 state election, securing 5,550 votes and a majority of 1,336 in a three-cornered contest against MCA's Koh Nai Kwong and PAS' Wan Zahidi Wan Ismail.
Ngwe won the seat for Barisan in the 2021 election, polling 3,732 votes to defeat Pakatan candidate Law Bing Haw by a majority of 938 in a five-cornered contest. Lim did not contest that election.
Machap Jaya has 16,030 registered voters.
Polling for the Melaka state election will be held on Nov 14, with early voting on Nov 10.
