MELAKA, Nov 8 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Ayer Molek seat, Muhammad Hakimin Mokhtar, wants to develop the constituency into an education and employment hub to create more job opportunities for residents if elected in the 16th Melaka state election.

The 35-year-old Melaka Angkatan Muda Keadilan chief said Ayer Molek had considerable potential to attract higher education institutions, such as MARA colleges or polytechnics, as well as business establishments that could stimulate the local economy.

He said the proposal was among the ideas that emerged from his engagements with residents during the campaign, with difficulties finding employment within their own area frequently raised as a major concern.

“I want to offer ideas and initiatives to develop Ayer Molek into a hub for educational institutions and a business complex that could attract supermarket operators and outside companies to set up operations here, thereby boosting the local economy,” he told Bernama.

Muhammad Hakimin, who holds a Bachelor of Administrative Science (Hons) from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and is a former Jasin Municipal Council member, said the two initiatives could bring significant long-term benefits to the Ayer Molek community.

He also wants to ensure that the State Legislative Assembly Development and Coordination Committee (Japerun) complex functions as an open community service centre accessible to everyone, regardless of background or political affiliation.

“I want the Japerun in Ayer Molek to be more proactive as a one-stop centre where residents can raise problems, seek assistance or share their views without discrimination based on their background or political beliefs.

“To me, an elected representative should not only be present at certain times or during elections, but should always remain accessible when the community needs help,” he said.

Muhammad Hakimin also pledged to address 60 issues faced by residents, including internet connectivity, flooding and basic infrastructure problems which he said had yet to be resolved by previous leaderships.

He said he would seek effective and timely solutions by working closely with relevant agencies and the private sector, including through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to secure additional support.

“I believe real development is not merely about bringing in major projects, but about how far they can resolve people’s everyday problems and improve the overall quality of life in the community,” he said.

Muhammad Hakimin is facing a straight fight against Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali for the Ayer Molek seat.

Polling is on Nov 14, with early voting set for Tuesday. 

For updates on the state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/. — Bernama