Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin

Summary

Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (born 17 March 1957) is a Perak engineer-turned-politician best known for serving as the state's 10th Menteri Besar after the 2008 general election, a term cut short by the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis when three Pakatan assemblymen defected and the Federal Court ultimately confirmed Barisan Nasional's Zambry Abdul Kadir as the lawful Menteri Besar [1]. Now representing Sungai Rapat under AMANAH, he serves as Perak EXCO chairman for Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport within the post-PRU15 unity government, making him the state's primary decision-maker on water supply, roads, and public transport [1][2]. He is presently the sole AMANAH assemblyman in the Perak State Legislative Assembly [1].

Biography

Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin (born 17 March 1957 in Kampar, Perak) is a Malaysian politician and professional engineer who has served as State Assemblyman (ADUN) for Sungai Rapat, Perak, since May 2018 [1]. A member of Parti Amanah Negara (AMANAH) within the Pakatan Harapan coalition, he is currently the sole AMANAH representative in the Perak State Legislative Assembly [1]. Since November 2022, he serves as a Perak EXCO member under Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, holding the Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport portfolio [3]. He previously held an EXCO position under Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu from May 2018 to March 2020 [1]. Nizar is an engineering graduate from Aston University in Birmingham, United Kingdom [1]. He is the son of a Malay father and a Chinese mother, raised in a Malay-Muslim household, and is married to Datin Seri Fatimah Taat, with whom he has eight children [1]. He joined PAS in 1995 and rose through the Perak party hierarchy before being chosen by then-Regent Raja Nazrin Shah as the 10th Menteri Besar of Perak on 12 March 2008 — the first non-Barisan Nasional politician to hold that post in Perak [1]. His administration collapsed in February 2009 after three Pakatan assemblymen defected, triggering the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis [1]. He subsequently left PAS and joined AMANAH. He has represented the constituencies of Pasir Panjang (DUN, 2008–2013), Bukit Gantang (Parliament, by-election, 2009–2013), and Changkat Jering (DUN, 2013–2018) before moving to Sungai Rapat in 2018 [1]. He has served as Deputy Chairman of AMANAH Perak and as a member of AMANAH's National Supreme Council [4]. He has resided in Sungai Rokam, Perak, since 2009 [1].

Known for

Nizar is most closely identified with his role as the 10th Menteri Besar of Perak (2008–2009) and the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis, in which his Pakatan government fell after three assemblymen defected, prompting a contested multi-court legal battle over who was the rightful Menteri Besar — ultimately resolved by the Federal Court in February 2010 in favour of Barisan Nasional's Zambry Abdul Kadir [1]. He was the first politician outside the Barisan Nasional coalition to serve as Menteri Besar of Perak [1]. In his current term, he chairs the Perak State EXCO Committee for Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport, making him the state's key decision-maker on water supply, roads, and public transport [2].

Political positions

Nizar has aligned with a reform-oriented strand of Malay-Muslim politics, transitioning from PAS to AMANAH — a party that positions itself as progressive and moderate within the Islamic political tradition [1]. During his Menteri Besar tenure, his administration granted freehold land titles to ethnic Chinese residents in new village settlements, a policy that drew public criticism from then-Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who disputed its legality, claiming the jurisdiction lay federally [1]. In his current EXCO role, he has focused on water security — including cloud seeding operations to address drought at Bukit Merah Dam, reducing non-revenue water loss, and initiating a groundwater pilot project in Kerian — alongside flood mitigation through JPS and JKR coordination in flood-prone Perak districts [5]. He has publicly pursued cost-of-living relief through water tariff rebates, with Lembaga Air Perak providing a 40 sen per cubic metre rebate on the first 10 cubic metres of monthly domestic use, reducing the minimum bill from RM7.50 to RM3.50 [5]. On infrastructure, he has been involved in facilitating early-stage discussions for a proposed new international airport in Seri Iskandar, Perak [6].

Education

1. Late 1970s–Early 1980sCompleted secondary schooling at Sekolah Menengah Teknik Ipoh before pursuing A-levels and an engineering degree at Aston University in Birmingham, United Kingdom.⛓

Political career

1. 1995Joined the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS).⛓
2. 1999–2001Served as Kampar district committee member of PAS.⛓
3. 2001–2006Served as treasurer on the Perak PAS State Joint Committee, then as secretary.⛓
4. March 2004Contested the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat under PAS in the 2004 general election but was defeated by incumbent Rafidah Aziz.⛓
5. 8 March 2008Won the Pasir Panjang DUN seat in the 12th general election as part of the Pakatan Rakyat wave that captured 31 of 59 Perak state assembly seats.⛓
6. 17 March 2008Sworn in as the 10th Menteri Besar of Perak at Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar, after being chosen by Regent Raja Nazrin Shah. He was the first non-Barisan Nasional politician to hold the post.⛓
7. February 2009His Pakatan state government collapsed after three assemblymen defected, triggering the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis. A new BN state administration under Zambry Abdul Kadir was sworn in, which Nizar contested in court.⛓
8. 7 April 2009Won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election under PAS, the seat having fallen vacant following the death of incumbent Roslan Shaharum.⛓
9. 9 February 2010A five-member Federal Court panel unanimously ruled that Zambry Abdul Kadir was the valid Menteri Besar of Perak, finalising the Perak constitutional crisis litigation against Nizar.⛓
10. May 2013Contested and won the Changkat Jering DUN seat in the 13th general election, moving from his previous Pasir Panjang seat; simultaneously vacated the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat.⛓
11. May 2018Won the Sungai Rapat DUN seat (N44) in the 14th general election under AMANAH (Pakatan Harapan), with 12,425 votes (39.0%) and a majority of 3,614. Appointed to the Perak EXCO under MB Ahmad Faizal Azumu.⛓
12. November 2022Retained the Sungai Rapat DUN seat in the 15th general election with 15,065 votes and a majority of 3,494. Subsequently appointed EXCO member for Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport under MB Saarani Mohamad in the BN-PH unity government.⛓

Election history

• 2022Sungai Rapat (DUN N44)Won41.9%⛓
• 2018Sungai Rapat (DUN N44)Won39%⛓
• 2013Changkat Jering (DUN)Won⛓
• 2009Bukit Gantang (Parliament, by-election)Won⛓
• 2008Pasir Panjang (DUN)Won⛓
• 2004Kuala Kangsar (Parliament)Lost⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsNizar won the Sungai Rapat DUN seat in both PRU14 (2018) and PRU15 (2022), making him a two-term incumbent. He is the sole AMANAH assemblyman in the Perak State Legislative Assembly as of November 2022.⛓
• GovernmentNizar is a serving EXCO member in the Perak unity government under BN's Saarani Mohamad, chairing the Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee. Saarani described the new EXCO lineup as a combination of experienced and young leaders.⛓
• OppositionNizar was noted as serving as Opposition Leader in the Perak State Legislative Assembly during the period between PRU14 and PRU15, when PH was in opposition at the state level.⛓
• PublicMalaysiakini reported in 2017 that Gopeng MP Dr Lee Boon Chye noted Nizar was well-regarded at the grassroots level in Sungai Rapat, observing that he had strong AMANAH Gopeng support.⛓