Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hassan

The Merlimau seat fell vacant following the death of its state assemblyman Datuk Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hasaan of United Malays National Organisation from a heart attack at the Putra Specialist Hospital in Malacca.

[1][2] Previously Mohamad Hidhir won the Merlimau seat with a 2,154 vote majority, beating PAS' Jasme Tompang at the 2008 Malaysian general elections.

[3] The state assembly seat has around 10,400 voters, comprising mainly 64% Malays, 21% Chinese and 14% Indians.

[4] For the by-election PAS picked as its candidate, Yuhaizad Abdullah while Barisan Nasional picked Roslan Ahmad.