Hishamuddin Abdul Karim

Summary

Hishamuddin Abdul Karim (born 2 November 1978) is a PAS politician who has represented the Tepuh state constituency in Terengganu since May 2013, winning the seat at the 2013, 2018, and 2023 state elections. He served as Deputy Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council from 2018 to 2023, before being elevated to full EXCO member with the Youth, Sports and NGO Development portfolio following PN's historic clean sweep of all 32 Terengganu seats in August 2023. His tenure as EXCO has been characterised by the application of state Islamic dress-code policies to competitive sports.

Biography

Hishamuddin bin Abdul Karim (born 2 November 1978) 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 Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Tepuh since May 2013, having won the seat at three consecutive state elections — 2013, 2018, and 2023 [1]. He is commonly referred to with the honorific Tuan Haji, indicating he has performed the Hajj pilgrimage. Following PAS's victory in the 2018 Terengganu state election, Hishamuddin was appointed Deputy Member of the State Executive Council (EXCO), serving in that capacity from May 2018 to August 2023 under Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Deputy EXCO head Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah [1]. In the 2023 Terengganu state election held on 12 August 2023, PN won all 32 state seats — a historic clean sweep — and Hishamuddin retained the Tepuh seat with 56.0% of the vote and a majority of 10,894 [2]. He was subsequently elevated from Deputy EXCO to full EXCO member, taking charge of the Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisation Development portfolio [3]. His constituency, Tepuh (N09), falls under the Kuala Nerus parliamentary area and had 30,448 registered voters as of the 2023 state election [2]. Hishamuddin has been a visible figure in both the state assembly and PN's electoral machinery in Terengganu.

Known for

Hishamuddin Abdul Karim is known as a long-serving PAS assemblyman for Tepuh who has held the seat through three successive elections since 2013. He rose within the Terengganu state government from Deputy EXCO (2018–2023) to full EXCO member (2023–present), with responsibility for Youth, Sports and NGO Development. He was one of only two assemblymen permitted to speak during the Terengganu DUN's emergency debate in November 2018, when the assembly unanimously passed a motion rejecting Malaysia's ratification of ICERD [3].

Political positions

Hishamuddin's recorded positions align with PAS's Islamic governance framework. In November 2018, he was the sole debating speaker supporting Tepuh's position during the Terengganu State Assembly's unanimous vote to reject Malaysia's ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), with Malaysiakini reporting that he seconded and debated the emergency motion [4]. In his capacity as EXCO for Youth and Sports, Free Malaysia Today reported in August 2024 that Hishamuddin stated the Terengganu sports council's position is that no female Muslim athletes may represent the state in diving, as the required attire does not meet the state's dress code for Muslim athletes [5]. He has also emphasised party unity as a prerequisite for electoral success, stating ahead of the 2023 state election that PAS machinery must not be divided in pursuing its target of winning all 32 seats [6].

Political career

1. May 2013First elected as ADUN for Tepuh (N09), Terengganu, under PAS, in the 13th Malaysian General Election. He has held the seat continuously since this date.⛓
2. 9 May 2018Re-elected as ADUN for Tepuh in the 14th General Election, receiving 46.7% of votes (10,782 votes) and a majority of 2,717 over BN's Basir Ismail.⛓
3. May 2018Appointed Deputy Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO) in the PN state administration under Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, a position he held until August 2023.⛓
4. 25 November 2018Served as the sole debating speaker in the Terengganu State Assembly's emergency debate on ICERD, seconding a motion that was unanimously passed by all 32 assemblymen to reject Malaysia's ratification of the convention.⛓
5. 12 August 2023Re-elected for a third consecutive term as ADUN for Tepuh under PN-PAS in the 2023 Terengganu state election, securing 56.0% of the vote (17,049 votes) and a majority of 10,894 as part of PN's historic clean sweep of all 32 state seats.⛓
6. 15–16 August 2023Sworn in as full Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO) — one of four new EXCO faces — and assigned the portfolio of Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisation Development.⛓
7. August 2024In his capacity as EXCO for Youth and Sports, Hishamuddin publicly stated the Terengganu sports council's position that Muslim female athletes may not represent the state in diving due to non-compliant attire requirements, following reports that two Muslim girls had competed at SUKMA.⛓

Election history

• 2023Tepuh (N09), TerengganuWon56%⛓
• 2018Tepuh (N09), TerengganuWon46.7%⛓
• 2013Tepuh (N09), TerengganuWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsHishamuddin has won the Tepuh seat at three consecutive elections (2013, 2018, 2023), with his vote share rising from 46.7% in 2018 to 56.0% in 2023, and his majority growing from 2,717 to 10,894 over that same period.⛓
• GovernmentTerengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar appointed Hishamuddin as one of four new EXCO members in August 2023, assigning him the Youth, Sports and NGO Development portfolio and calling on all EXCO members to 'move faster and carry out their duties with full dedication for the progress of the people and the state of Terengganu'.⛓
• PublicFree Malaysia Today reported in August 2024 that Hishamuddin's stance on Muslim female athletes in diving — barring them from representing the state — drew public attention, with the report noting Terengganu had previously banned Muslim women from gymnastics events due to attire requirements, forcing several to retire.⛓
• OppositionBernama reported ahead of the 2023 state election that Amanah Terengganu identified Tepuh as one of three PAS-held seats it intended to contest, reflecting confidence among PH-aligned parties in challenging Hishamuddin's hold on the constituency — though the challenge did not materialise into a win.⛓