MELAKA: Perikatan Nasional is not discounting the possibility of its state chief Datuk Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen (pic) becoming the Chief Minister-designate, if the coalition manages to administrate the state after Nov 20.

       Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Mohd Rafiq, 35, would be the youngest Chief Minister if the coalition comes into power.

       "Bersatu has no objection if the coalition nominates a young assemblyman or a woman as the Chief Minister after Nov 20.

       "We have decided between our partners in the coalition that the Chief Minister-designate would come from Bersatu," he said on Wednesday (Nov 17).

       Mohd Rafiq was the state youth and sports development committee chairman during the administration of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali before the Perikatan Nasional/Barisan Nasional-led state government collapsed on Oct 4.

       It was earlier speculated that Perikatan’s Tanjung Bidara candidate Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin was also the Chief Minister-designate should the coalition win the polls.

       Mas Ermieyati, who was Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law), said the thought of becoming a Chief Minister had never crossed her mind and only wanted to serve her constituents.

       She will face Barisan Nasional heavyweight Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, as well as Pakatan Harapan candidate Zainal Hassan in the polls.