KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has proposed the name of Melaka Umno chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh for appointment as the 13th Melaka Chief Minister.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had submitted the proposal to Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri

Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.

“The party has submitted a letter proposing Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh as the new Melaka Chief Minister,” he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the National Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneur and Industry Development Council at Parliament building here yesterday.

This announcement was following Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali’s resignation as the 12th Melaka Chief Minister Wednesday.

Asked why Sulaiman resigned, Ahmad Zahid said it was due to health factors. On Wednesday, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, confirmed that Sulaiman, the Lendu state assemblyman, had resigned as the Chief Minister. The Umno president said Sulaiman handed over his resignation letter at a meeting in Ahmad Zahid’s office in Parliament building Wednesday.

Asked whether the Melaka state executive council lineup would be reshuffled to include Pakatan Harapan representatives, Ahmad Zahid said he hoped this could be done in the spirit of the National Unity government at the federal level.

“I am confident this spirit will flow to Melaka so that good optics can be seen not only by the people in Melaka but also all other people (throughout the country),” he added.