MELAKA: Barisan Nasional's (BN) Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh is not taking the competition lightly despite being billed as a heavyweight in the Tanjung Bidara seat in the Melaka state election.

Ab Rauf said the heavyweight tag came with great responsibilities, and he is confident that voters would choose a "loyal" candidate to represent them.

"The people can see that we won all of Masjid Tanah in the last generation election but then some left the party and betrayed its cause and yet came back to seek the people's support.

"I think Tanjung Bidara voters know that we don't need disloyal people who betrayed the party struggle for personal interests, and this will be proven during polling on Nov 20," he told reporters here today.

Ab Rauf, who is Melaka BN chairman, said the BN machinery in Tanjung Bidara and other areas was going all out to pull in the votes.



MELAKA-RAUF (HEAVYWEIGHT) 2 (LAST) MELAKA



Ab Rauf said it was important to convince voters to elect a stable government which could ensure continued prosperity and economic growth.

"And BN is the one capable of forming a strong and stable government. So, we urge the people of Melaka to give their mandate to BN," he added.

Meanwhile, he denied that there were protests from grassroots supporters after their leaders were not picked to contest, leading to the closure of several BN polling district centres.

"This is political propaganda. Not even one operation centre was closed. Several centres with problems have been back in full swing and will be in operation until polling day," he said.

Ab Rauf is involved in a three-cornered fight with Perikatan Nasional's Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Zainal Hassan of Pakatan Harapan for the Tanjung Bidara seat.

The seat was won by Datuk Md Rawi Mahmud of BN in the last general election.

-- BERNAMA