Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri

Summary

Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri is the PAS/Perikatan Nasional ADUN for N.17 Sungai Lembing in Pahang, having won the seat in the 2022 general election with a majority of 1,054 votes. As an opposition assemblyman, he has been active in the Pahang State Legislative Assembly, raising issues on forest governance, flood mitigation, road infrastructure, Orang Asli land rights, and Felda settler welfare in his constituency. His public profile has been shaped primarily by his persistent questioning of the Pahang state government on environmental and community development matters.

Biography

Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri is a Malaysian politician from Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) who serves as the Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) for N.17 Sungai Lembing in Pahang [1]. He contested under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner in the 15th General Election (PRU15) on 19 November 2022, winning the seat with 6,962 votes against Barisan Nasional's Umar Arbain Dollah (5,908 votes) and Pakatan Harapan's Ahmad Omar (1,738 votes), a majority of 1,054 votes [2][3]. His victory was part of PN's 17-seat haul in the Pahang State Legislative Assembly [4]. The Sungai Lembing constituency, which falls within the Kuantan District, is divided into 7 polling districts [5]. Since assuming office, Ayub has been active in the Pahang State Legislative Assembly, raising questions on flood mitigation, road conditions, forest governance, Orang Asli land rights, and the welfare of Felda settlers affected by bauxite mining [6]. He is identified as a youth representative (perwakilan pemuda) of PAS in Pahang [6]. Sinar Harian reported in September 2024 that Ayub ran a food stall to raise funds to sustain his DUN service centre, as opposition ADUNs in Pahang do not receive state government constituency allocations [6]. No information on his educational background or pre-political career was found in publicly available sources from the allowlist.

Known for

Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri is known as the PAS/PN ADUN for Sungai Lembing who won a historically BN-held seat in PRU15 (2022). He has drawn public attention for questioning the Pahang state government over alleged unauthorised forest clearing in Sungai Lembing and advocating for Orang Asli communities whose foraging land was leased to a private company. He has also consistently raised issues of recurring floods, damaged roads, and Felda settler welfare in the State Legislative Assembly.

Political positions

As an opposition ADUN in the Pahang State Legislative Assembly, Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri has taken public stances on several local issues. On the environment, he demanded urgent explanations from the Pahang state government and relevant agencies over alleged forest clearing in the Sungai Lembing forest area, stating that large-scale deforestation without environmental and social impact assessments is unacceptable [3][6]. He has also championed the rights of Orang Asli communities in Sungai Lembing, particularly regarding access to forest land leased to a private firm under a 30-year concession [7]. On infrastructure, he has persistently raised the issue of deteriorating roads serving Felda communities — including Felda Bukit Kuantan, Bukit Sagu, and Bukit Goh — calling on the state government to upgrade rather than merely patch roads [6]. He has also questioned the state government on the status and progress of the Sungai Kenau flood mitigation project, which directly affects the town of Sungai Lembing [6]. On Felda settler welfare, he raised questions in the DUN on redevelopment plans for Felda Bukit Goh, which was affected by bauxite mining [6].

Political career

1. 19 November 2022Contested and won the N.17 Sungai Lembing state seat under Perikatan Nasional (PAS) in PRU15, defeating BN incumbent Umar Arbain Dollah with 6,962 votes and a majority of 1,054.⛓
2. December 2022Formally gazetted as the elected representative for N.17 Sungai Lembing in the Federal Gazette confirming PRU15 Pahang DUN results.⛓
3. December 2023Responded publicly to flash floods in Sungai Lembing town, monitoring water levels and advising residents to follow evacuation instructions.⛓
4. January 2024Called on the Pahang state government to seek long-term solutions to road damage, flagging deteriorating roads serving Felda Bukit Kuantan, Bukit Sagu, and Bukit Goh communities.⛓
5. October 2024Raised the alarm on alleged forest clearing in the Sungai Lembing forest area after receiving a circular from enforcement agencies, demanding explanations from the Menteri Besar, Forestry Department, and Land and Mines Director.⛓
6. November 2024Visited the disputed forest clearing site alongside NGO representatives, highlighting that nearly 100 Orang Asli families had lost access to their foraging land after a 30-year lease was granted to a private company.⛓
7. December 2025Raised questions in the Pahang DUN on the progress of the Sungai Kenau flood mitigation project; Menteri Besar confirmed completion is scheduled for 27 November 2026.⛓
8. May 2026Raised questions in the Pahang DUN on the state government's plans to assist Felda Bukit Goh settlers affected by bauxite mining.⛓

Election history

• 2022N.17 Sungai Lembing, PahangWon47.4%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsMohamad Ayub Mat Ashri (PAS) won N.17 Sungai Lembing in PRU15 (19 November 2022) with 6,962 votes and a majority of 1,054 over BN's Umar Arbain Dollah. He is confirmed as the sitting ADUN by the federal SPR gazette.⛓
• OppositionMohamad Ayub Mat Ashri sits as an opposition ADUN in the Pahang State Legislative Assembly. He has publicly criticised the Pahang state government for delayed responses to forest clearing allegations, inadequate road maintenance, and slow delivery of flood mitigation infrastructure in his constituency.⛓
• GovernmentPahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail acknowledged Mohamad Ayub's forest clearing allegations and stated the matter was under serious attention. The Pahang Forestry Department clarified that no permanent reserved forest was degazetted, and land clearing was for coconut planting on state land under Kuantan Land and District Office supervision.⛓
• AffectedAccording to Malaysiakini, Orang Asli community members in Sungai Lembing stated that nearly 100 families lost access to their foraging land after a 30-year lease was granted by the Pahang government to a private company, with one community member quoted as saying there was nothing left to forage in the area.⛓
• PublicSinar Harian reported that a fellow PAS Pahang youth delegate publicly noted Mohamad Ayub's financial difficulty in sustaining his DUN service centre without state government allocation, describing how Ayub operated a food stall to raise funds — drawing broader attention to the resource constraints faced by opposition ADUNs in Pahang.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

Sinar Harian reported in September 2024 that Mohamad Ayub Mat Ashri operates a food stall (gerai sup) as a means of fundraising to sustain his DUN service centre, as the Pahang state government does not provide constituency allocations to opposition ADUNs (Source: sinarharian.com.my). No other business interests were reported in publicly available allowlist sources.