Malaysia’s Melaka declares Nov 16 a special holiday after BN-PN election victory

MELAKA – Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh has declared Nov 16 a special state holiday in Melaka following the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition’s victory in the Nov 14 state election.Ab Rauf announced the holiday during a press conference on Nov 15 after taking his oath of office for a second term before Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Mohd Ali Rustam. He described the move as a gesture of gratitude to Melakans for renewing the pact’s mandate to govern.“The people have made their choice. Now it is the responsibility of myself and all elected representatives to repay that trust with work, not just words,” he said.Calling for unity following the campaign period, the Tanjung Bidara assemblyman pledged to serve all Melakans regardless of race, religion, or political leaning.He added that his administration will immediately prioritise executing the joint Barisan-Perikatan manifesto, with a focus on strengthening the state economy, attracting quality investments, expediting strategic projects, and improving responsiveness to public complaints.“I do not want the people to wait too long to see results. A government given the mandate must get to work immediately,” he said, reminding fellow assemblymen that their roles are a public trust rather than a privilege.The Barisan-Perikatan pact secured a two-thirds majority in the 28-seat state assembly during the Nov 14 polls, winning 24 seats: 21 by Barisan and three by Perikatan, while Pakatan Harapan took the remaining four.Ab Rauf, Melaka’s 13th chief minister, first assumed the post in March 2023 when he succeeded Sulaiman Md Ali. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK