Haim Hilman Abdullah

Summary

Haim Hilman bin Abdullah (born 4 February 1973) is the PAS assemblyman for Jitra, Kedah, and serves as the Kedah EXCO member responsible for Industry, Investment, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation under the Perikatan Nasional state government. A former Vice Chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (2022–2023), he joined PAS in June 2023 and won the Jitra seat in the August 2023 Kedah state election. He is a member of the PAS Central Working Committee and the party's Economic and Entrepreneurship Development Committee, and has been an active public commentator on higher education access and foreign investment in Kedah.

Biography

Haim Hilman bin Abdullah (born 4 February 1973) is a Malaysian politician and academic who serves as the Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Jitra and as a member of the Kedah State Executive Council (EXCO) under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) state government led by Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor [1]. He is a member of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional coalition [1]. Haim Hilman received his early education at Selisek National Primary School in Hulu Selangor and Khir Johari Secondary School in Tanjung Malim, before pursuing diploma-level studies at UiTM and subsequently enrolling at the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, in 1996 [1]. He holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Portsmouth [1]. Prior to his political career, he served as the ninth Vice Chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), with his appointment taking effect from 17 January 2022 [1]. His UUM tenure was shortened following a performance review by the university's Board of Directors, as confirmed by the Ministry of Higher Education in July 2023 [2]. He joined PAS on 10 June 2023 and contested the Jitra state seat for Perikatan Nasional in the 12 August 2023 Kedah state election, winning the seat [3][4]. Within the Kedah EXCO, he chairs the Industry and Investment, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation committee [5]. He also sits on the PAS Central Working Committee [3].

Known for

Haim Hilman is known as a technocrat-turned-politician, being a former university vice chancellor who transitioned into PAS politics. He holds the EXCO portfolio overseeing industry, investment, and higher education in Kedah, and has been publicly vocal on public university admissions policy and foreign investment attraction. He is also a member of the PAS Economic and Entrepreneurship Development Committee at the party's central level [3].

Political positions

Haim Hilman has been an active voice on higher education policy, raising concerns at the 71st PAS Muktamar in September 2025 about the proportion of foreign students occupying places at Malaysia's top five research universities and calling for local students to be prioritised [5]. On investment, he oversaw the groundbreaking of the Kedah Rubber City project in November 2025, where Chinese tyre manufacturer Prinx Tire committed a RM2.6 billion investment over 15 years; he defended the use of Chinese-language inscriptions on the project's foundation stone as a sign of respect toward foreign investors [5][3]. In May 2026, in his capacity as PAS Economic and Entrepreneurship Development Committee chairman, he argued that proposed federal budget cuts to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Rural Development would harm low-income Malaysians, and called for an audit of government spending [3]. He has also advocated for PAS's growing role as the largest single party in Parliament, stating that PN must incorporate PAS's views when charting the coalition's direction [3].

Education

1. 1996Enrolled at the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, after completing diploma-level studies at UiTM. Obtained a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Business Administration from Portsmouth.⛓

Before politics

1. 17 January 2022Appointed as the ninth Vice Chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), replacing Ahmad Bashawir Abdul Ghani.⛓
2. December 2022The Ministry of Higher Education announced that Haim Hilman's tenure as UUM Vice Chancellor would be shortened, citing a performance report submitted by the university's Board of Directors.⛓
3. 18 January 2023Haim Hilman's service as UUM Vice Chancellor ended. The Ministry of Higher Education confirmed the decision was based on a performance report from the university's Board of Directors.⛓

Political career

1. 10 June 2023Joined Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).⛓
2. 12 August 2023Contested and won the N06 Jitra state seat in the 15th Kedah state election under the Perikatan Nasional banner, representing PAS.⛓
3. 21 August 2023Sworn in as a member of the Kedah State Executive Council (EXCO), taking on the Industry and Investment, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation portfolio.⛓
4. November 2025Presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kedah Rubber City project, where Prinx Tire committed a RM2.6 billion investment over 15 years, in his capacity as Kedah EXCO for Industry and Investment.⛓

Election history

• 2023N06 Jitra, KedahWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentBernama reported that the Ministry of Higher Education confirmed that Haim Hilman's UUM vice-chancellorship was shortened due to a performance report submitted by the university's Board of Directors, and that a ministry-level committee was established to examine the report before the decision was made.⛓
• OppositionKedah UMNO information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin, as reported by Free Malaysia Today, disputed Haim Hilman's claim that approximately 27% of students at five research universities are foreign nationals, stating that official Ministry of Higher Education data puts the figure at 21.3%, and questioned the accuracy of Haim's statistics.⛓
• OppositionPKR's Rafizi Ramli accused PAS of hypocrisy over the Chinese inscription on the Kedah Rubber City foundation stone, saying the project was planned and funded by the federal government — not the state — and that Haim Hilman was taking credit for federal work, as reported by Free Malaysia Today.⛓
• VerifiedFactsThe 15th Kedah state election on 12 August 2023 saw Perikatan Nasional win 33 of 36 seats in a supermajority, with Haim Hilman contesting and winning the N06 Jitra seat under PAS. He was subsequently sworn in as a Kedah EXCO member on 21 August 2023.⛓