Melaka polls: Rival's praise motivates Ab Rauf to serve Tanjung Bidara constituents

MASJID TANAH: Caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh is not allowing praise from his rival in the Melaka election to make him complacent.

Instead, Rauf, who is also Melaka Barisan Nasional chairman, is using remarks about his ability to look after Tanjung Bidara as motivation to continue serving the people to the best of his ability.

The BN candidate for the Tanjung Bidara seat said the remarks by his Pakatan Harapan rival, Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri, had strengthened his sense of responsibility towards the people in the constituency.

"I greatly appreciate his remarks, but I do not take them as praise or a reason to become complacent.

"Instead, they have made me feel even more responsible towards the people of Tanjung Bidara," he said when met after having breakfast with residents in Lubok China here today.

Also present was BN candidate for the Ayer Limau seat Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer.

Rauf said the remarks showed that his rival recognised that serving the people and addressing their needs was not a seasonal undertaking.

"I have been serving the people for a long time to ensure that we lead and serve them while continuously improving the quality of life in Tanjung Bidara.

"He (Yunazri) is not from Tanjung Bidara, so he has observed how the political and socio-political landscape has changed," he said.

It was reported that Yunazri had admitted that it was difficult to highlight local issues as the constituency had been well looked after by its incumbent.

The Tanjung Bidara seat will see a straight fight between Rauf and Yunazri in the Melaka election.

At the 2021 state election, Rauf won the seat with 3,559 votes.