Abdul Ghafar bin Atan (Jawi: عبدالغفار بن أتن; 13 July 1956 – 17 November 2021) was a Malaysian politician.
He served as Member of the Melaka State Executive Council (EXCO) from March 2008 to May 2018 and again from March 2020 to his death in November 2021, as well as Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Asahan from May 2013 to his death in November 2021 and Gadek from March 2004 to May 2013. He was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and also the Alor Gajah UMNO chief.
Politics
Abdul Ghafar first contested as a BN candidate in the 11th general election in the Gadek state constituency in 2004 and went on to defend the seat in the 12th general election in 2008. In the 13th general election in 2013, he contested the Asahan seat and defended it in the 14th general election (GE14) in 2018.
Death
On 4 November 2021, it was announced Abdul Ghafar would not be picked by UMNO as the BN candidate on nomination day on 8 November to give way to younger face to defend the Asahan seat, considered the hottest constituency in the Malacca state election on 20 November.
After being dropped as the election candidate, he was screened and tested positive for COVID-19 at a private hospital on 7 November and when his health deteriorated into critical condition later, he was put under an induced coma in the intensive care unit of Malacca General Hospital on the night of 9 November. Abdul Ghafar subsequently died from the complications at age 65 in the hospital at 1.04pm on 17 November leaving behind his wife, Rabiah Hassan. He was buried according to the COVID-19 pandemic standard operating procedure (SOP) at the Kampung Asahan Muslim Cemetery in Malacca.
Election results
Year
Constituency
Candidate
Votes
Pct
Opponent(s)
Votes
Pct
Ballots cast
Majority
Turnout
2004
N07 Gadek
Abdul Ghafar Atan (UMNO)
5,871
77.99%
Yahaya Ja'alam (PAS)
1,185
15.74%
7,755
4,686
71.84%
S. Sibapatham (keADILan)
472
6.27%
2008
Abdul Ghafar Atan (UMNO)
5,326
69.75%
S. Kanageswari (PKR)
2,310
30.25%
7,878
3,016
73.29%
2013
N09 Asahan
Abdul Ghafar Atan (UMNO)
8,257
65.24%
Wong Chee Chew (PAS)
4,400
34.76%
12,898
3,857
86.30%
2018
Abdul Ghafar Atan (UMNO)
5,942
45.80%
Zamzuri Arifin (BERSATU)
5,667
43.68%
13,239
275
82.69%
Azlan Maddin (PAS)
1,365
10.52%
Honours
Honours of Malaysia
Malaysia :
Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (2006)
Malacca :
Companion Class I of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DMSM) – Datuk (2004)
Knight Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DCSM) – Datuk Wira (2011)
Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DGSM) – Datuk Seri (2016)
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article on 14 Nov 2024.
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