Mohamad Hasan

Summary

Mohamad bin Hasan (born 2 May 1956), known as Tok Mat, is a Malaysian politician serving as MP for Rembau (Negeri Sembilan), UMNO Deputy President, and Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since 2023. He previously served 14 years as Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan (2004–2018) before entering federal politics, winning the Rembau parliamentary seat at GE15 with a near-20,000 vote majority. A former banking and corporate executive, he is a senior figure in UMNO's leadership and a key architect of the party's continued participation in the Madani unity government.

Biography

Mohamad bin Hasan (born 2 May 1956), widely known by his moniker Tok Mat or Mat Hasan, is a Malaysian politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Rembau, Negeri Sembilan, since the 15th General Election in November 2022 [1]. He also holds the Rantau state seat in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly, which he has won across multiple election cycles [1]. Born in Kampung Kundur Hilir, Rantau, Seremban, he received his early schooling in Rantau before completing Form 6 at Tuanku Ampuan Durah Secondary School, Seremban, and subsequently reading International Relations at the University of Malaya in 1975 [1]. Before politics, he built a career in banking and the corporate sector, including positions as General Manager of Bank Bumiputera London (1988–1992), Chief Executive Officer of Cold Storage Malaysia Berhad (1992–1994), and Managing Director of Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad (1994–2004) [1]. He was also a board member of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Chairman of the FIMA Berhad Group, and a board member of Sepang International Circuit [1]. He entered politics in 2004, winning the Rantau state seat and being sworn in as the 10th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan on 25 March 2004, a position he held until 2018 [1]. He has served as UMNO Deputy President since 2018 and as Deputy Chairman of Barisan Nasional (BN) [1]. Within the Madani unity government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, he served first as Minister of Defence (December 2022) before taking over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a 2023 cabinet reshuffle [1]. In GE15 (November 2022), he won the Rembau parliamentary seat with a majority of 19,897 votes [2].

Known for

Mohamad Hasan is defined principally by his 14-year tenure as Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan (2004–2018), during which the state's debt to the federal government was reported to have been reduced from RM2 billion to RM700 million, with a cash reserve of RM500 million by 2018 [1]. Within UMNO, he is recognised as a stabilising figure in party leadership, having served as Acting President during Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's six-month garden leave (19 December 2018 to 30 June 2019), and has consistently advocated for UMNO's continued participation in the Madani unity government [3]. As Foreign Minister since 2023, he has been Malaysia's primary diplomatic voice, including on ASEAN affairs during Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship [4].

Political positions

On party unity: Mohamad has publicly urged UMNO members to remain united and resist efforts to pit him against party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, emphasising loyalty to the party over personal ambition [5]. On the unity government: He has consistently argued against UMNO withdrawing from the Madani unity government, warning that such a move could destabilise the nation [5]. He has also cautioned that the Malay agenda remains a priority and that UMNO's presence in the cabinet ensures a check on decisions that may not align with that agenda [5]. On foreign policy: As Foreign Minister, he has positioned Malaysia as an advocate for ASEAN centrality, multilateralism, and the rights of Palestinians, opposing proposals he described as constituting 'ethnic cleansing' and violations of international law [4]. On religion in politics: He has publicly criticised opposition politicians for using religious framing in electoral campaigning, calling such conduct inappropriate [5]. On Negeri Sembilan's 2026 political crisis: He called for the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan state assembly as the appropriate resolution when 14 BN assemblymen withdrew their support for the Menteri Besar [5].

Education

1. 1975Enrolled to read International Relations at the University of Malaya (UM), after completing secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Rantau and Form 6 at Tuanku Ampuan Durah Secondary School, Seremban.⛓

Before politics

1. Late 1970s–1980sBegan banking career at Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) as a trainee officer, rising to assistant branch manager at the Petaling Jaya main branch, before moving to Arab Malaysia Merchant Bank where he served as Manager at their Johor Bahru branch.⛓
2. 1988–1992Served as General Manager of Bank Bumiputera London at Bank Bumiputera Malaysia Berhad.⛓
3. 1992–1994Served as Chief Executive Officer of Cold Storage Malaysia Berhad.⛓
4. 1994–2004Served as Managing Director of Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad. Also held board positions at Khazanah Nasional Berhad, FIMA Berhad Group (as Chairman), and Sepang International Circuit.⛓

Political career

1. 25 March 2004Sworn in as the 10th Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan following Barisan Nasional's victory in the 2004 general election, having also won the Rantau state seat.⛓
2. 2018Ended 14-year tenure as Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan following UMNO and BN's defeat in the 14th General Election. Became Leader of the Opposition in the Negeri Sembilan state assembly. Elected UMNO Deputy President.⛓
3. 19 December 2018 – 30 June 2019Served as Acting President of UMNO during Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's six-month garden leave.⛓
4. 13 April 2019Won the Rantau state by-election after the Federal Court upheld an Election Court ruling that declared his uncontested 2018 victory null and void, as the PKR candidate had been barred from filing nomination papers.⛓
5. 20 November 2022Won the Rembau parliamentary seat at the 15th General Election (GE15) with a majority of 19,897 votes, polling 53,075 votes.⛓
6. 2 December 2022Appointed Minister of Defence in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's cabinet.⛓
7. 12 August 2023Retained the Rantau state seat in the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election with a majority of 10,280 votes.⛓
8. 2023Appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in a cabinet reshuffle, taking over from Zambry Abdul Kadir, while Mohamed Khaled Nordin took over the Defence portfolio.⛓

Election history

• 2023Rantau (Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly)Won⛓
• 2022Rembau (P131)Won48.4%⛓
• 2019Rantau by-election (Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly)Won⛓
• 2013Rantau (Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly)Won⛓
• 2008Rantau (Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly)Won⛓
• 2004Rantau (Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs UMNO Deputy President and Deputy Chairman of BN, Mohamad has consistently presented himself as a stabilising force within the Madani unity government, arguing that UMNO's ministerial participation safeguards Malay interests and prevents unilateral decision-making by coalition partners.⛓
• OppositionPKR's former deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali acknowledged in 2019 that Mohamad posed a major challenge in Rantau given his advantage as a former Menteri Besar with strong local roots, illustrating the opposition's recognition of his political durability.⛓
• GovernmentThe incoming Pakatan Harapan state government in Negeri Sembilan publicly praised Mohamad's administration after BN's 2018 defeat, particularly regarding the reduction of the state's debt to the federal government.⛓
• IndustryPrior to entering politics, Mohamad's corporate background — including as Managing Director of Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad and CEO of Cold Storage Malaysia — was cited by Khairy Jamaluddin in 2019 as the basis for his personal wealth, framing his assets as the result of a pre-political corporate career.⛓
• VerifiedFactsMohamad won the Rembau parliamentary seat at GE15 on 20 November 2022 with 53,075 votes and a majority of 19,897 votes over five candidates, confirmed by The Edge Malaysia and The Star.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

Prior to entering politics in 2004, Mohamad served as a member of the Board of Directors of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Chairman of the FIMA Berhad Group, and a member of the Board of Directors of Sepang International Circuit (SIC), according to en.wikipedia.org. No credible news-reported current commercial directorships or business interests have been identified from allowlist sources.