Datuk Sulaiman Md Ali Sulaiman, 55, was sworn in as the Chief Minister before Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Mohd Khalil Yaakob.
Sulaiman, who is Lendu state assemblyman and Melaka Umno state liaison committee secretary, is part of the newly formed Perikatan Nasional government.
The appointment comes after Khalil received a representation on March 2 that then-chief minister Adly Zahari of Parti Amanah Negara no longer led the majority in the 28-seat state assembly.
On Friday, Malacca Barisan Nasional chief Ab Rauf Yush said the governor had informed him that the new chief minister would be from among the 15 reps who supported BN and its allies.
Sulaiman has the backing of assemblymen Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen (Bersatu), Muhammad Jailani Khamis (PKR), and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (DAP) who elected to cross the house when the previous administration fell on February 24.
Sulaiman has been the Masjid Tanah Umno division secretary since October 2013 and was once the state Umno secretary.
Born on Dec 20, 1965, he hails from Kampung Durian Daun in Masjid Tanah.
He received his primary and secondary school education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Durian Daun and Sekolah Menengah Masjid Tanah.
He later pursued tertiary education at the Malaysian Maritime Academ and holds a professional master’s degree in management (Quality Assurance Commission) from the United Kingdom. He has about two decades of experience in the oil and gas industry.
He is married to Datin Munira M Yusop, 54, and they have three children, Muhammad Amsyar, Muhammad Ikhlas and Putri Balqis.