Khlir Mohd Nor

Summary

Dato' Khlir bin Mohd Nor is the Perikatan Nasional MP for Ketereh, Kelantan, serving his first term since winning the seat in GE15 (November 2022) with a 23,107-vote majority. A retired Major General and former Army intelligence officer, he draws on his military background to engage on defence and veterans' issues in the Dewan Rakyat. In May 2026, the Bersatu Disciplinary Board suspended his party membership for two election terms after he attended a 'Reset Politik' gathering aligned with the Hamzah Zainudin faction, amid an internal leadership dispute within BERSATU.

Biography

Dato' Khlir bin Mohd Nor (born 4 July 1958) is a Malaysian politician and retired military officer serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketereh (P026), Kelantan, since November 2022 [1]. He is a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [2]. Prior to entering politics, Khlir had a distinguished career in the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), retiring at the rank of Major General. He is identified in reporting as a former Army Headquarters assistant chief of staff of intelligence [3]. He also attended Universiti Malaya [4]. In GE15 (November 2022), Khlir made his electoral debut, contesting the Ketereh federal seat under the Perikatan Nasional banner. He won with 40,542 votes, defeating his nearest challenger from Barisan Nasional by a majority of 23,107 votes [5]. In his early parliamentary career, Khlir drew public attention for disclosing that he used personal funds to contribute to constituents' families in bereavement, amid constraints on opposition MPs' parliamentary allocations [6]. He has raised issues relating to military veterans' pensions and defence affairs in the Dewan Rakyat [3]. In early 2026, Khlir publicly backed then-Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin against party chairman Muhyiddin Yassin's leadership [7]. On 8 May 2026, the Bersatu Disciplinary Board suspended Khlir's party membership for two party election terms for violating Clause 9.1.4 of the party constitution and its code of ethics, following his attendance at Hamzah's 'Reset Politik' gathering [8].

Known for

Khlir is the first MP for Ketereh from Perikatan Nasional, having wrested the seat from Barisan Nasional in GE15 with one of the largest majorities in Kelantan. He is recognised for his background as a retired Major General and former military intelligence officer, which informs his advocacy on defence, veterans' welfare, and discipline in military institutions. He attracted wider attention for his public stance on parliamentary allocations and his alignment with the Hamzah Zainudin 'Reset Politik' faction within the internal Bersatu dispute of 2025–2026.

Political positions

As an opposition MP under the Perikatan Nasional bloc, Khlir has consistently refused to pledge support for the Pakatan Harapan-led government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, including declining to follow PN colleagues who crossed the aisle to secure constituency development allocations [6]. He raised in Parliament the claim that the government offered a Confidence and Supply Agreement to then-opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin contingent on conditions, framing it as a transactional arrangement [9]. Drawing on his military background, Khlir has spoken in Parliament on issues such as the detention of senior ATM officers over alleged leaking of military operational information [10], ATM veterans' pension adjustments [3], and bullying culture at military educational institutions [3]. He has publicly emphasised the responsibility of commanding officers for discipline within their units. In the 2025–2026 Bersatu internal conflict, Khlir sided with Hamzah Zainudin over party chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, and indicated he would consider following Hamzah should the latter join PAS [11].

Education

1. Pre-1980sAttended Universiti Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur.⛓

Before politics

1. Pre-2022Served in the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), retiring at the rank of Major General (Retired). He served as assistant chief of staff of intelligence at Army Headquarters.⛓

Political career

1. 2 November 2022Nominated by Perikatan Nasional (Kelantan) as the PN candidate for the Ketereh parliamentary seat in GE15.⛓
2. 19 November 2022Won the Ketereh parliamentary seat in GE15 with 40,542 votes and a majority of 23,107 votes over the BN candidate, becoming MP for the first time.⛓
3. November 2023Publicly stated he would no longer seek parliamentary development allocations, after declining to follow PN colleagues who backed PM Anwar Ibrahim in exchange for constituency funding.⛓
4. February 2026Publicly backed Hamzah Zainudin and openly criticised Muhyiddin Yassin's leadership of Bersatu, stating he was unafraid of being sacked from the party.⛓
5. 8 May 2026Bersatu's Disciplinary Board suspended Khlir's party membership for two party election terms, effective immediately, after finding he had violated Clause 9.1.4 of the party constitution and its code of ethics by attending Hamzah Zainudin's 'Reset Politik' gathering.⛓

Election history

• 2022Ketereh (P026)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentKhlir sits in opposition and has not supported the Pakatan Harapan-led government. The ruling coalition has not extended standard parliamentary development allocations to opposition MPs at the same level as government MPs, which Khlir has publicly referenced in discussing constituency funding constraints.⛓
• OppositionWithin the Perikatan Nasional bloc, Khlir was identified by Malaysiakini as a 'general' holding the PN eastern front in Kelantan, refusing to pledge support for PM Anwar. In the 2026 Bersatu internal split, he aligned with the Hamzah Zainudin 'Reset Politik' faction against the Muhyiddin camp.⛓
• VerifiedFactsThe Bersatu Disciplinary Board confirmed on 8 May 2026 that Khlir's membership rights were suspended for two party election terms for violating Clause 9.1.4 of the party constitution and the members' code of ethics and conduct. Khlir confirmed receiving the suspension notice and accepted the decision. This is corroborated by Malay Mail, The Edge Malaysia, The Star, Free Malaysia Today, and Bernama.⛓
• ExpertAnalysts quoted by Free Malaysia Today in May 2026 noted that the suspended MPs, including Khlir, were associated with Hamzah Zainudin's Reset movement, which analysts described as having grown to back 19 MPs, while Bersatu itself was down to approximately six MPs after the purge.⛓
• PublicKhlir drew public notice in Parliament in September 2023 when he revealed he used his own money to make contributions to bereaved families in his constituency. Free Malaysia Today reported he was described as a 'first-term MP' who gained public attention through this disclosure.⛓