Melaka polls: Clash of heavyweights in Tanjung Bidara

The seat involves a three-cornered fight among Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh of Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Zainal Hassan of Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Ab Rauf is the Melaka UMNO liaison committee chairman and former Melaka State Legislative Assembly Speaker. Mas Ermieyati is the Masjid Tanah Bersatu Division chief, Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law). Zainal is the organising secretary of the Masjid Tanah PKR Branch.

When announcing the names of the candidates, returning officer Mohamad Farid Othman said he received the nomination forms from Zainal at 9.02 am; Mas Ermieyati, at 9.12 am and Abd Rauf, at 9.15 am.

"I have reviewed the papers and am satisfied. None of the candidates had their nomination papers rejected," he said after the nomination process at the Tanjung Bidara Japerun Complex hall here today.

Zainal had arrived at the nomination centre at 8.09 am, followed by Ab Rauf, at 8.45 am, and Mas Ermieyati, at 8.50 am.