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The 2021 Malacca state election, formally the 15th Malacca state election, took place on 20 November 2021. This election was to elect 28 members of the 15th Malacca State Legislative Assembly. The previous assembly was dissolved on 4 October 2021.
Malacca became the fourth state in Malaysia (since 2021) that did not hold a state election simultaneously with the general election after Sabah (1967–1999 and since 2020), Sarawak (since 1979), and Kelantan (March 1978). This is also the first election following Ismail Sabri Yaakob's appointment as Prime Minister on 21 August 2021 and also the first state election held in the Malay Peninsula since the fall of the Pakatan Harapan state and federal governments in 2020.
This election was unique because it featured two major coalition parties in the government, namely Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, competing against each other. BN, through UMNO, had announced that it would not cooperate with Perikatan Nasional, led by Parti Peribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU). Such competition between former coalition partners had previously only occurred in East Malaysia.
Electoral map of Malacca, showing all 28 constituencies
Composition before dissolution
Government
Opposition
BN
PN
PH
IND
12
1
11
4
12
1
7
2
2
UMNO
BERSATU
DAP
AMANAH
PKR
IND
Electoral system
Elections in Malaysia are conducted at the federal and state levels. Federal elections elect members of the Dewan Rakyat, the lower house of Parliament, while state elections in each of the 13 states elect members of their respective state legislative assembly. As Malaysia follows the Westminster system of government, the head of government (Prime Minister at the federal level and the Menteri Besar/Chief Ministers at the state level) is the person who commands the confidence of the majority of members in the respective legislature – this is normally the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in the legislature.
The Legislative Assembly consists of 28 members, known as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), that are elected for five-year terms. Each MLA is elected from a single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post voting system; each constituency contains approximately an equal number of voters. If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the government, with its leader becoming the Chief Minister. In the event of a hung parliament, where no single party obtains the majority of seats, the government may still form through a coalition or a confidence and supply agreement with other parties. In practice, coalitions and alliances in Malaysia, and by extension, in Malacca, generally persist between elections, and member parties do not normally contest for the same seats.
Early voting for postal, overseas and advance voters
20 November 2021
Polling day
Pre-nomination events
Date
Event
4 October 2021
Four Malacca assemblymen declared that they have lost confidence in Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali's leadership. The assemblymen are former Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron, Nor Azman Hassan, Norhizam Hassan Baktee and Noor Effandi Ahmad. Idris said the move was due to a series of decisions not implemented by the state government, which he added portrayed Malacca as a 'flip flop' state.
The membership of Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan in UMNO was automatically dropped after being involved in the movement to overthrow the existing Malacca State Government.
5 October 2021
Malacca Assembly speaker disclosed that Malacca Chief Minister, Sulaiman Md Ali, took steps to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly starting 4 October 2021, in an effort to resolve the political crisis in the state. The dissolution of the state assembly was made after Sulaiman lost the majority of support, following the actions of four state assemblymen from the government bloc, withdrawing support for his leadership yesterday. The decision to dissolve the state assembly was made after the proposal submitted by Sulaiman received the approval of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Mohd Ali Rustam.
Malacca PN chief Rafiq Naizmohideen announced immediate loss of Noor Effandi Ahmad's membership in BERSATU. The declaration was made due to his apparent cooperation with PH by being together with PH in a previous press conference on 4 October.
10 October 2021
Tanjung Bidara State Assemblyman Md Rawi Mahmud announces that he will not defend his constituency in the upcoming election.
18 October 2021
The Malaysian Election Commission sets 8 November as the nomination day and 20 November as the polling day; this provides for a minimum campaigning period of 12 days.
2 November 2021
A former member of the navy, Mohan Singh Booda Singh has announced his intention to contest as an Independent for the Gadek state constituency.
National Indian Muslim Alliance Party (IMAN) announces its sole electoral candidate, who will contest the Machap Jaya state constituency.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) states that it will be contesting in all of the state constituencies in Malacca, and announces its candidates for the 20 seats.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) states that it will be contesting in all of the state constituencies in Malacca, and announces its candidates for the 28 seats.
Malacca State Legislative Assembly, 20 November 2021 (28 seats)
By parliamentary constituency
Barisan Nasional won 4 of 6 parliamentary constituency, including Masjid Tanah and Alor Gajah, which is held by Perikatan Nasional and Tangga Batu, which is held by Pakatan Harapan.
Sulaiman were sworn in as Chief Minister of Malacca for the second time, on the morning of 21 November, a day after the election. He holds the role until 30 March 2023, when he tendered his resignation letter to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca. He was replaced by Ab Rauf Yusoh, MLA for Tanjung Bidara and the UMNO state leader of Malacca, who was sworn in on 31 March 2023. Six days after Ab Rauf's appointment, a minor EXCO reshuffle took place on 5 April, where 2 EXCO members were dropped and 3 EXCO members were added, including one Pakatan Harapan MLA, in a swearing in ceremony. The new EXCO lineup is to reflect the government pact between PH and BN after the general election in November 2022. In response to Rauf's appointment, Muhammad Jailani Khamis, one of the EXCO members dropped in the reshuffle announced his withdrawal of support to the Rauf-led state government, although he is not resigning from UMNO and requested to the party's disciplinary board to decide on his status. He later were suspended of his UMNO membership by the party's disciplinary board for 6 years after spotted attending PN's by-election campaign in Simpang Jeram and Pulai. This made Jailani quit the party and joined PAS in June 2023, but were only announced by PAS secretary general one year later in July 2024.
Results by constituency
9
6
Perikatan Nasional (PN)
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
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The membership of Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan in UMNO was automatically dropped after being involved in the movement to overthrow the existing Malacca State Government.
Malacca PN chief Rafiq Naizmohideen announced immediate loss of Noor Effandi Ahmad's membership in BERSATU. The declaration was made due to his apparent cooperation with PH by being together with PH in a previous press conference on 4 October.
A former member of the navy, Mohan Singh Booda Singh has announced his intention to contest as an Independent for the Gadek state constituency.
Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the PH, names its candidates for 8 of the state constituencies in Malacca, namely Gadek, Pengkalan Batu, Ayer Keroh, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana, Duyong, Bandar Hilir, and Bemban.
Malaysia Mighty Bumiputera Party (PUTRA) announces its candidates for 5 of the state constituencies.
State elections in Malaysia
