MELAKA: When Perikatan Nasional’s Bukit Katil candidate for the constituency realised he arrived at the nomination centre without a black pen, he panicked.

       But Muhammad Al-Afiz Yahya’s anxiety was short-lived – all thanks to a journalist covering the event who promptly offered his pen to the PAS contestant.

       Only pens with black ink are permitted in the filling up and signing of nomination forms.

       Muhammad was accompanied by Mohammad Shahril Abd Aziz and Ghaffar Baba Ahmad as his proposer and seconder. It is learnt that the duo, too, did not have black pens with them.

       Prior to that, there was further confusion when Ghaffar’s MySejahtera application showed his status as an ‘asymptomatic casual contact’.

       Election Commission officers, however, confirmed that they were allowed to enter the hall for the nomination process.

       Muhammad is facing a four-cornered fight with former chief minister Adly Zahari of Pakatan Harapan, Datuk Hasnoor Sdg Husin of Barisan Nasional and Independent Abdul Hamid Mustapah.