This comes after governor Ali Rustam received Lendu assemblyman Sulaiman Ali’s resignation as chief minister, according to Bernama.

Sulaiman was at the Seri Negeri complex earlier this morning to meet Ali. He left at about 11am after spending more than an hour with the governor.

The Umno man then headed to the Melaka chief minister’s office, which is also in the Seri Negeri complex. At the time, it could not be determined whether he was there to resume his duties as chief minister or to meet with the staff.

Yesterday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that Sulaiman had resigned as chief minister.

Zahid said he would be seeking an audience with Ali to propose a new candidate for the post.

Rumours that Sulaiman would be replaced surfaced in November 2021, just after the state election, when Tanjung Bidara assemblyman and Melaka Umno chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh was accused of trying to lobby top party leaders for the chief minister’s post. He was also absent when Sulaiman was sworn in.

Rauf, an executive councillor in the BN-led state government, later denied talks of any turmoil in the newly formed state government, saying Sulaiman had the backing of all Umno division chiefs.

In December, Sulaiman denied speculation that he would be resigning from the post after a report said he would be stepping down on Jan 3 to make way for Rauf.