Hilmi Abdullah

Summary

Hilmi bin Abdullah is a PAS politician serving as the Kelantan State Assemblyman (ADUN) for N40 Guchil since 2018 and a full member of the Kelantan State Executive Council (EXCO) since August 2023. He chairs the State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment, making him the primary state official responsible for public health enforcement, entertainment licensing, and local authority oversight in Kelantan. He was re-elected in the 2023 state election with 39.0% of the vote and a majority of 6,294.

Biography

Hilmi bin Abdullah is a Malaysian politician and member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. He has served as the Member of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for the N40 Guchil constituency since May 2018 [1]. He made his electoral debut in the 2018 Kelantan state election under the Gagasan Sejahtera (GS) banner, winning with a majority of 2,279 votes [1]. He was re-elected in the 2023 Kelantan state election with a significantly increased majority of 6,294 votes, representing 39.0% of votes cast [2]. Following the 2023 state election, in which PAS and its PN ally Bersatu swept 43 out of 45 state seats, Hilmi was sworn in as a full Member of the Kelantan State Executive Council (EXCO) under Menteri Besar Mohd Nassuruddin Daud in August 2023 [3]. He previously served as Deputy Member of the Kelantan State Executive Council under Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob from May 2018 to August 2023 [1]. As EXCO, he chairs the Kelantan State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment [4]. In this capacity, he has overseen policy areas including entertainment licensing, public health regulation, vape sales control, the Kota Bharu Sentral transport terminal project, and Ramadan bazaar management across the state [5]. His pre-political career and educational background have not been detailed in available public sources.

Known for

Hilmi Abdullah is known primarily as the Kelantan EXCO chairman overseeing local government, housing, public health, and the environment. He has been a consistent public spokesperson on regulatory matters affecting daily life in Kelantan, including entertainment controls, food safety enforcement, and the state's vape sale ban. He has represented Guchil in the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly across two consecutive terms since 2018.

Political positions

As chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment, Hilmi has publicly defended several state-level regulatory stances. He confirmed Kelantan's position that no vape sale licences have been issued since 2013, framing the policy as a measure to protect youths and students [4]. He announced that the state's entertainment deposit rates would be raised for events featuring popular or foreign artists, citing compliance with permit conditions [6]. He clarified the scope of Kelantan's state halal certification (SPHM) policy, stating that non-Muslim businesses are not required to obtain certification unless they serve Muslim customers [7]. He also acknowledged the Kelantan government's exploration of rare earth element (REE) potential in Gua Musang in collaboration with Japan's JOGMEC, while emphasising environmental compliance requirements [8]. On urban infrastructure, he has been cited in connection with the Kota Bharu Sentral integrated transport terminal project, expected for completion by 2027 [9].

Political career

1. May 2018Elected as ADUN for N40 Guchil in the 2018 Kelantan state election under the Gagasan Sejahtera (GS) banner, winning with a majority of 2,279 votes. Simultaneously appointed Deputy Member of the Kelantan State Executive Council under Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob.⛓
2. August 2023Sworn in as a full Member of the Kelantan State Executive Council (EXCO) under new Menteri Besar Mohd Nassuruddin Daud, following PN's landslide win in the 2023 state election.⛓
3. August 2023Confirmed as Chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment for the 15th state legislative term.⛓
4. August 2023Re-elected as ADUN for N40 Guchil in the 2023 Kelantan state election under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner, with a majority of 6,294 votes and 39.0% of votes cast.⛓
5. August 2024As EXCO chairman, directed all 12 local authorities (PBT) in Kelantan to increase entertainment deposit rates for events involving popular or foreign artists.⛓
6. July 2024Cited as the state official who announced the ban on entertainment or loud noise in Kelantan on Thursday nights, under the 1998 Control of Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment.⛓
7. December 2024Clarified the scope of Kelantan's state halal certification (SPHM) policy, stating it is not mandatory for non-Muslim businesses unless they serve Muslim customers.⛓
8. May 2026Announced Kelantan's exploration of rare earth element (REE) potential across approximately 1,400 hectares in Ladang Subong, Gua Musang, in collaboration with Japan's JOGMEC.⛓

Election history

• 2023N40 Guchil, KelantanWon39%⛓
• 2018N40 Guchil, KelantanWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsHilmi Abdullah has served as ADUN for N40 Guchil since May 2018 and as a full Kelantan State EXCO member since August 2023. He chairs the State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and Environment. He was re-elected in 2023 with a majority of 6,294 votes (39.0% vote share). These facts are confirmed by multiple allowlist sources.⛓
• OppositionFormer law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim criticised Kelantan's entertainment noise ban — a policy announced by Hilmi — saying the ruling was "vague and incoherent" and an abuse of power, and that the state government failed to consider the needs of the public as a whole.⛓
• GovernmentAs EXCO chairman, Hilmi has framed the state's regulatory stances — including the vape ban and entertainment deposit increase — as measures to ensure compliance with existing laws and to protect public interests, particularly among youth.⛓