Ahmad Fadhli Shaari

Summary

Ahmad Fadhli bin Shaari is the two-term Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas, Kelantan, representing PAS under the Perikatan Nasional coalition, and has served as PAS Information Chief since November 2023. Educated at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, he has built a career as a vocal opposition parliamentarian and party spokesman on social, moral, and public policy matters. He won Pasir Mas in both GE14 (2018) and GE15 (2022), with a reported majority of 30,717 votes in the latter election.

Biography

Ahmad Fadhli bin Shaari (born 18 July 1980, with Wikipedia's article header alternatively citing 1981 — the exact year is contested between sources) is a Malaysian politician from the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. Born in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, he received his early education at Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran Wal Qiraat Pulai Chondong from 1992 to 1999, then studied at the Sultan Ismail Petra International Islamic College (KIAS) in Kota Bharu from 1999 to 2002, before furthering his tertiary education at the Islamic Religious Studies faculty of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt from 2003 to 2005 [1]. He has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Pasir Mas since May 2018, winning the seat in both the 14th and 15th General Elections [2]. He also served as Chairman of the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) from 2020 to 2022 [1]. Within PAS, he rose through the youth leadership ranks, serving as Deputy Youth Chief of PAS from June 2019 to November 2021, and subsequently as Youth Chief from November 2021 to October 2023 [1]. He served as Youth Chief of Perikatan Nasional from January 2022 to January 2024 [1]. Since November 2023, he has held the position of Information Chief of PAS [1]. As Information Chief, he has been a prominent spokesperson for PAS and PN on a range of national policy and political issues [3].

Known for

Ahmad Fadhli is known as a vocal opposition parliamentarian who frequently raises social and moral policy concerns in the Dewan Rakyat, including opposition to lottery draws and calls for banning international concerts [4]. He serves as PAS Information Chief and is a regular public spokesperson for Perikatan Nasional on national policy matters, including fuel subsidies, public health legislation, and coalition politics [5]. He has won the Pasir Mas parliamentary seat twice consecutively, in GE14 (2018) and GE15 (2022), with the GE15 majority reported at 30,717 votes [6].

Political positions

On social and moral issues, Ahmad Fadhli has called for a ban on international concerts in Malaysia and urged the cancellation of the Coldplay concert in Kuala Lumpur in November 2023, on the grounds that such events promote hedonism [1]. He has repeatedly urged the government to retract decisions allowing expanded four-digit lottery draws [7]. On public health, he questioned the government's declassification of liquid nicotine as a controlled substance before passage of a tobacco and vaping bill, describing the move as 'hasty' [8]. He also opposed a provision in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 amendment that would have granted the Health Director-General broad directive powers, arguing it risked abuse of power and imposed disproportionate penalties on ordinary citizens [8]. On fuel subsidies, he questioned the government's mechanism for RON95 subsidy rationalisation, arguing the lack of a clear implementation plan raised fairness concerns for ordinary Malaysians [5]. On coalition politics, he has positioned PAS as preferring Bersatu to remain within Perikatan Nasional, while warning that a continued confrontational approach by Bersatu could diminish its political standing [7]. He has also stated that PAS remains open to cooperation with UMNO [7].

Education

1. 1992–1999Attended Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran Wal Qiraat Pulai Chondong for early religious education.⛓
2. 1999–2002Studied at Sultan Ismail Petra International Islamic College (KIAS) in Kota Bahru.⛓
3. 2003–2005Studied Islamic Religious Studies at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.⛓

Political career

1. May 2018Elected Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas (P022) under Gagasan Sejahtera/PAS banner in GE14, receiving 28,080 votes according to Wikidata.⛓
2. June 2019Appointed Deputy Youth Chief of PAS.⛓
3. 2020–2022Served as Chairman of the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK).⛓
4. November 2021Elected Youth Chief of PAS, a position he held until October 2023.⛓
5. January 2022Appointed Youth Chief of Perikatan Nasional, serving until January 2024.⛓
6. November 2022Re-elected MP for Pasir Mas under the PN banner in GE15, winning with a majority of 30,717 votes.⛓
7. November 2023Appointed Information Chief of PAS.⛓

Election history

• 2022Pasir Mas (P022)Won⛓
• 2018Pasir Mas (P022)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• OppositionAhmad Fadhli serves as PAS Information Chief and is a leading opposition voice, regularly challenging the Madani government's policies on fuel subsidies, public health legislation, and social issues from the PN bench.⛓
• GovernmentThe political secretary to the Finance Minister described Ahmad Fadhli's claims regarding the RON95 targeted subsidy plan as an attempt to create a false narrative, and said he should understand the proposal before making statements that are 'half-baked'.⛓
• ExpertAccording to Sinar Daily, an analyst noted that during the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari's remarks about the DAP candidate drew accusations of racial sentiment, and were cited as a factor that affected PN's momentum among Chinese voters.⛓
• VerifiedFactsAhmad Fadhli has won the Pasir Mas parliamentary seat in both GE14 (2018) and GE15 (2022). He has served as PAS Information Chief since November 2023 and previously as PAS Youth Chief (November 2021–October 2023) and PN Youth Chief (January 2022–January 2024). He was Chairman of PTPK from 2020 to 2022. He is an Al-Azhar University graduate.⛓