The former prime minister also said there was a strong wind of change blowing in the nation which could not be underestimated, adding that Melaka could be the place for this change to happen.

“As much as some say that Chinese voter turnout might be low, that they have been strong supporters of DAP, I think they are very pragmatic people.

“We hope they will consider the candidates that we’ve put up from Gerakan,” he said when asked if he was confident Gerakan could win the votes of the Chinese community.

Gerakan is contesting in five seats in the Melaka polls, namely Asahan, Ayer Keroh, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir. The incumbents in four of these seats are from DAP.

Muhyiddin also brushed off DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang’s claim earlier today that there were “strong objections” in Bersatu against naming Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin as PN’s candidate to be chief minister if it grabs the most number of seats.

The Bersatu president said it was not Lim’s business to interfere in his party’s matters, adding that he would manage it himself.

“Why should he care about what happens in my party? I’ll manage it.

“I don’t meddle in DAP. I don’t ask anything about it,” he said after meeting the Chinese community here this afternoon.

Earlier, Lim described Muhyiddin’s inability to announce Mas Ermieyati as PN’s chief minister-designate as a ticking time bomb due to alleged opposition within Bersatu.

Mas Ermieyati, who is also deputy law minister, had won the Masjid Tanah parliamentary seat on a Barisan Nasional ticket in 2018.