Rauf, who has been accused of playing Big Brother and overshadowing former chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali, said people could have misunderstood him or created a negative perception of him.

“I am viewed as such because I am driving the party with the aim of winning the Melaka state election. I reject this perception.

“However, as a leader I can’t escape criticism, and I regard this as the political game of certain quarters,” the Melaka Umno chairman told Bernama TV in an exclusive interview here today.

Rauf, the BN candidate in the hot seat of Tanjung Bidara, did not rule out the possibility that allegations of his domineering character were propagated by people who were eyeing the chief minister’s post.

“This issue was played up by a frustrated person who could not be renominated for the chief minister’s post because he was played out after being used to topple the state government,” he said.

His jibe seemed to be aimed at former chief minister Idris Haron, who helped topple the state government and is now standing on a PKR ticket in the Asahan seat.

Rauf said as the state Umno chief, he was seen as close to Sulaiman, who is state Umno secretary, but he knew his boundaries and never interfered in the state administration.

“I respect the boundaries because to me, a state government complete with the exco structure would definitely understand the function of the state administration,” he said.

Rauf, billed as a heavyweight candidate, is involved in a three-cornered fight with Perikatan Nasional’s Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Zainal Hassan of Pakatan Harapan. Md Rawi Mahmud of BN won the seat in the last general election.

Early voting is on Nov 16 and polling is set for Nov 20 to elect representatives to the 28 seats in the Melaka state assembly.