TopicsPolitician AnalysisMd. Anizam Ab. Rahman
Md. Anizam Ab. Rahman
- Party
- PAS · Malaysian Islamic Party
- Coalition
- PN
- Constituency
- Kemahang
- State
- Kelantan
Why this matters to you
As the Kelantan state Exco chairman for Investment, Industry, Human Resources, Trade and Entrepreneurship, Md Anizam's portfolio directly shapes the conditions for job creation, business licensing, and industrial development across the state — decisions that affect household incomes and employment prospects for Kelantan residents, including those in the Kemahang constituency. His committee's work on attracting new industries and reviving rural entrepreneurship schemes such as One Village, One Industry has a direct bearing on the livelihoods of smallholders and micro-entrepreneurs across the state. As an Exco member, he also votes on state budget allocations in the Dewan Undangan Negeri, where PAS and Bersatu under Perikatan Nasional held 43 of 45 seats following the 2023 election.
Summary
Md Anizam Ab Rahman is a retired Major and PAS politician who has represented the Kemahang state seat in Kelantan continuously since November 1999, making him one of the state's longest-serving assemblymen. He currently serves as a Kelantan State Executive Councillor chairing the committee on Investment, Industry, Human Resources, Trade and Entrepreneurship under Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud. His public record centres on efforts to draw investment into Kelantan and develop local entrepreneurship within the PAS-led state government's framework.
Biography
Major (Retired) Dato' Haji Md Anizam bin Ab Rahman is a Malaysian politician and former army officer who has represented the Kemahang state constituency (N28) in the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly under PAS since November 1999 [1]. He carries the title Mejar (B) — Major (Retired) — in all official and media references, reflecting a career in the Malaysian Armed Forces prior to entering politics [2]. Kemahang falls within the Tanah Merah district of Kelantan and had a population of approximately 27,677 as of 2020, comprising seven polling districts [1]). Md Anizam has been returned at six consecutive elections from 1999 through to the 2023 Kelantan state election (PRN15), at which he received 44.6% of votes (10,375 votes) against 23,258 registered voters, with a majority of 7,311 over his nearest rival from BN-UMNO [3]. He was sworn in as a Kelantan State Executive Councillor (Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri, Exco) before Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negeri Kubang Kerian on 15 August 2023, as part of the nine-member Exco line-up under newly appointed Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud [2]. In the current (15th) term, he chairs the Kelantan State Committee on Investment, Industry, Human Resources, Trade and Entrepreneurship — a portfolio shift from his previous role as chairman of the Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage committee [4]. His public work in this role has included addressing structural barriers to foreign investment in Kelantan and advocating for the revival of a One Village, One Industry entrepreneurship initiative [5][2].
Known for
Md Anizam is one of Kelantan's longest-serving state assemblymen, having held the Kemahang seat uninterrupted for six consecutive terms since 1999 and serving as Kelantan State Exco across multiple administrations. He is the state government's current point person on investment, industry, human resources, trade, and entrepreneurship — a portfolio that shifted from his earlier remit in tourism and culture. His public statements have drawn attention to Kelantan's ongoing challenges in attracting domestic and foreign investment, including infrastructure deficits and land constraints.
Political positions
Operating within PAS's long-standing governance of Kelantan, Md Anizam's documented public positions relate primarily to his economic and investment portfolio. He has publicly acknowledged that Kelantan faces structural barriers to attracting foreign direct investment, identifying the absence of a coastal port, incomplete major road infrastructure (including the Lebuhraya Lingkaran Tengah Utama and the Kuala Krai highway), and the yet-to-be-completed East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) as key obstacles. He stated that his committee established technical and implementation sub-committees to work through investor concerns and that the state's largest current investment is in the semiconductor sector through Rohm Wako Sdn Bhd. On rural economic development, he has advocated reviving the One Village, One Industry initiative to expand local entrepreneurship and income generation, citing Thailand's model as a reference. He has also emphasised strengthening cross-border trade with Thailand while calling for tighter anti-smuggling and border controls to protect legitimate commerce. No publicly sourced positions on federal legislation or inter-party political matters were identified from allowlist sources.
References
Before politics
- Pre-1999Served as an officer in the Malaysian Armed Forces, attaining the rank of Major before retiring. He is referred to publicly as Mejar (B) — Major (Retired) — in all official and media contexts.⛓
Political career
- November 1999First elected as Member of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly for Kemahang (N28) under PAS, a seat he has held continuously ever since.⛓
- 2004Returned to the Kemahang seat at the 2004 general election, continuing his uninterrupted representation of the constituency for PAS.⛓
- 2008Retained Kemahang at the 2008 general election for PAS.⛓
- 2013Retained Kemahang at the 2013 general election for PAS.⛓
- Pre-2019Served as Kelantan Exco for Community Unity, Culture, Heritage and Tourism (Exco Perpaduan Masyarakat, Kebudayaan, Warisan dan Pelancongan) during a prior term of the Kelantan state government.⛓
- 9 May 2018Retained Kemahang at the 14th General Election (GE14) under PAS, receiving 40.4% of votes (7,261 votes) with a majority of 923, defeating candidates from BN-UMNO and PH-PPBM.⛓
- 12 August 2023Contested and won the Kemahang seat at the 15th Kelantan State Election (PRN15) under Perikatan Nasional-PAS, receiving 44.6% of votes (10,375 votes) with a majority of 7,311.⛓
- 15 August 2023Sworn in as Kelantan State Executive Councillor (Exco) before Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negeri Kubang Kerian, as one of nine Exco members under new Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud.⛓
- 23 August 2023Portfolio announced: appointed Chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Investment, Industry, Human Resources, Trade and Entrepreneurship — a change from his previous portfolio of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage.⛓
Election history
Stance evolution
Public statements grouped chronologically. The party tag shows which party the politician was contesting under at that point.
- 2025PAS
In Thailand, the One Village, One Industry initiative is very well known. We, too, have the opportunity to implement this initiative, which has proven to be effective and beneficial.
Perspectives on key issues
- GovernmentAs part of the PAS-led Perikatan Nasional state government, Md Anizam was retained as Exco after the 2023 state election and assigned the investment and trade portfolio, reflecting continued confidence in his role within the administration.⛓
- VerifiedFactsMd Anizam has held the Kemahang state seat for six consecutive terms since 1999. In GE14 (2018) he received 40.4% of votes with a majority of 923. In PRN15 (2023) he received 44.6% with a majority of 7,311 from 23,258 registered voters — a substantially increased majority.⛓
- ExpertSinar Harian reported in March 2024 that Md Anizam acknowledged Kelantan's difficulties attracting foreign investors, citing absent port infrastructure, incomplete highway and ECRL rail connectivity, and land availability as key constraints, and that his committee had set up technical sub-committees to work through these issues systematically.⛓
Sources
Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.