Source : The Star
MELAKA, November 4, 2026 – Caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh has defended his administration’s record after Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) sought answers on 55 development projects and Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) questioned the state’s finances, The Star reported.
Ab Rauf, who is also Melaka Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, rejected claims that 55 projects were in trouble. He said his administration was working to resolve problems with state projects inherited from previous administrations, and that most of the troubled projects came under the Federal Government’s Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).
“Some are state government projects I inherited from previous administrations, and I am now working to correct them,” he said in an interview on November 3.
He said federal authorities were responsible for work handovers and oversight on projects under their purview, and that putting the inherited projects back on track would be among his priorities if he is given another term.
The questions came from PKR deputy secretary-general Sivamalar Genapathy, who on November 2 called for a project-by-project update on the 55 developments that had yet to begin as of June last year. Ab Rauf had disclosed on June 10 last year that only 86 of 241 state development projects had been completed, while 100 were being implemented and 55 had yet to start.
Ab Rauf also disputed the assessment of Melaka’s finances made by former economy minister and Bersama co-founder Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, saying expenditure had never exceeded revenue during his tenure.
Speaking at the launch of Bersama’s election manifesto on November 2, Rafizi said Melaka’s spending grew by an average of 6.72 per cent a year between 2021 and 2024, nearly three times the annual revenue growth of 2.28 per cent. He said the state went from recording surpluses in 2021 and 2022 to running deficits of RM59 million in 2023 and RM29 million in 2024.
Ab Rauf questioned the source of Rafizi’s figures and pointed to Melaka’s investment performance in defence of his administration. In March, he said the state had recorded RM14.68 billion in approved investments last year, its highest in 22 years.
“I will let the voters judge my administration’s record,” he said.
BN’s campaign has leaned on the same theme. Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki told reporters in Durian Tunggal on November 3 that BN’s campaign in Melaka had been more subdued, with the focus on its performance and service record rather than attacks on political opponents, the New Straits Times reported. He said voters could assess for themselves the performance of Ab Rauf’s administration and the service of the 21 BN assemblymen elected in the previous state election.
Asyraf Wajdi also said cooperation between the BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) election machinery had improved, with both sides attending campaign programmes together, particularly night ceramah. “PN machinery has been helping in areas contested by BN, while BN machinery has also been instructed to give full support in areas contested by PN,” he said.
Pakatan Harapan, meanwhile, launched its own manifesto, ‘Melaka Rumah Kita’, on November 3, while Ab Rauf has said BN will unveil its manifesto this Friday, November 6. Early voting is on November 10, and polling day for the 28 state seats is November 14, 2026.
This story is based on a report by The Star. Asyraf Wajdi’s remarks are from the New Straits Times, and the BN manifesto date is from the New Straits Times.
About The Author
