TANJUNG Bidara assemblyman Ab Rauf Yusoh was sworn in as Malacca’s 13th chief minister today. 

He took his oath of office before Yang Dipertua Negeri Mohd Ali Rustam at Seri Negeri at 3.33pm in a private ceremony, with his predecessor Sulaiman Md Ali, state assemblymen, MPs and heads of department present.

Sulaiman, who remains Lendu assemblyman, resigned yesterday, midway through his second term as chief minister. He was first appointed on March 9, 2020, and again on November 21, 2021.

A one-term assemblyman, Ab Rauf, 62, won the Tanjung Bidara seat in a tight three-cornered contest, gaining 3,599 votes against Perikatan Nasional’s Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (3,195 votes) and Pakatan Harapan’s Zainal Hassan (489 votes) in the last state elections.

He was appointed state Investment, Industry, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman in Sulaiman’s second administration, having served as Malacca assembly speaker during Sulaiman’s first administration.

Ab Rauf, who has been Malacca Umno liaison committee chief since 2018, was reelected to the Umno Supreme Council during this year’s party polls and retained his Masjid Tanah division chief post unopposed. – Bernama, March 31, 2023.