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Credit : Bernama
MELAKA, November 15, 2026 — Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh has declared Monday, November 16, a special public holiday in Melaka, describing it as a gesture of gratitude after Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) won Saturday’s state election.
Ab Rauf announced the holiday when he spoke to reporters after taking his oath of office for a second term on Sunday, at the Office of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri at Seri Negeri in Ayer Keroh. He said the special holiday was a token of appreciation to the people of Melaka for placing their trust in the two coalitions and giving them the mandate to continue administering the state.
“It is a token of appreciation to all the people of Melaka who have placed their trust in us and given us the mandate to continue administering the state. For that reason, I am pleased to announce Monday, November 16, as a special public holiday for the State of Melaka,” he said, according to Bernama.
The announcement comes a day after the 16th Melaka state election, in which the BN–PN pact won 24 of the 28 seats in the State Legislative Assembly — 21 for BN and three for PN — while Pakatan Harapan (PH) won four. Ab Rauf, 65, the assemblyman for Tanjung Bidara, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister at 12.10pm before Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, as earlier reported by Life News Agency.
The ceremony was also witnessed by Melaka State Secretary Datuk Salhah Salleh and candidates who won in Saturday’s election, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is BN chairman, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, Bernama reported.
Speaking after the ceremony, Ab Rauf said he was the Chief Minister for all Melakans, regardless of how they had voted. “I am not the Chief Minister only for those who voted for me. I am the Chief Minister for all the people of Melaka, regardless of race, religion, background or political inclination,” he told reporters, Bernama reported. He called on the people of the state to unite as one big family and to set aside differences that may have emerged during the election.
The Star, which also covered the press conference, quoted him as saying: “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 his administration would immediately prioritise carrying out the joint BN–PN 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, according to The Star. He also reminded elected representatives that the position they had received was a trust, not a privilege, and said he wanted the state administration to be more efficient and responsive.
The holiday applies in Melaka on Monday. Ab Rauf first assumed the chief minister’s post on March 31, 2023, after Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali resigned, The Star reported. In Saturday’s election he retained Tanjung Bidara with an 8,615-vote majority, defeating PH candidate Yunazri Mustamiri in a straight fight.
Sources: Bernama; The Star; Life News Agency report on the swearing-in.
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