TopicsPolitician AnalysisMohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir

Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir

Party
BERSATU · Malaysian United Indigenous Party
Coalition
PN
Constituency
Kota Siputeh
State
Kedah
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Why this matters to you

As the state assemblyman for Kota Siputeh, Ashraf Mustaqim is the primary elected representative for residents of this Kedah constituency on state-level matters including local infrastructure, land, and social services. His public advocacy for paddy farmers' aid disbursement directly concerns the livelihoods of agricultural communities in the Kota Siputeh area, which lies within the paddy-growing Kedah heartland (Source: malaysiakini.com/news/739179). His position on the Kedah state government's relationship with Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor's administration — and how BERSATU assemblymen navigate the evolving PN coalition dynamics — has implications for the continuity of state-level governance and resource allocation for his constituents (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/06/09/kedah-bersatu-reps-to-keep-backing-sanusi-until-told-otherwise).

Summary

Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim bin Badrul Munir is a Malaysian politician serving as the BERSATU assemblyman for Kota Siputeh, Kedah, since August 2023, having won the seat at the state election with a majority of 13,090 votes [1]. A former news photographer and long-serving Armada (BERSATU Youth) national information chief, he is publicly aligned with BERSATU president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and has been an active voice on party unity, bumiputera economic policies, and paddy farmer welfare [2]. He previously contested the Paya Besar parliamentary seat under PH-PPBM in GE14 (2018) but was unsuccessful [3].

Biography

Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim bin Badrul Munir is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kota Siputeh since August 2023 [4]. He is a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [4]. Born around 1986, Ashraf was reported to be 37 years old in December 2023 [5]. Before entering electoral politics, he worked as a news photographer before resigning to join active politics [2]. He rose through BERSATU's youth wing, Armada, serving as Armada's national information chief for a number of years [1]. He previously served under former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and has stated he draws on that experience in his service to constituents [1]. Ashraf first stood for election at the federal level in GE14 (2018), contesting the Paya Besar parliamentary seat under PH-PPBM and receiving 21.4% of the vote in a three-cornered contest [3]. He subsequently won the Kota Siputeh state seat at the 2023 Kedah state election under PN-BERSATU with a majority of 13,090 votes, defeating the incumbent Dr Salmee Said of Pakatan Harapan [1]. His candidacy in 2023 was preceded by local resistance from some Bersatu Jerlun members who described him as a candidate from outside the area [1]. Since his election, he has been an active voice on Bersatu party affairs and constituency issues, including welfare for paddy farmers in his region [2].

Known for

Ashraf Mustaqim is known primarily as a state assemblyman for Kota Siputeh who was elected under PN-BERSATU in the 2023 Kedah state election with a substantial majority [1]. He is also recognised as a former Armada (BERSATU Youth) national information chief, a role in which he was an outspoken advocate for Malay-bumiputera economic interests and internal party discipline [1]. He is publicly aligned with the Muhyiddin Yassin camp within BERSATU and has repeatedly spoken out in defence of the party's central leadership against internal dissent [2].

Political positions

Ashraf Mustaqim has consistently advocated for bumiputera economic interests, including questioning the consolidation of bumiputera funds and characterising certain government policies as an 'equality agenda' that he alleged would set back bumiputera economic development [2]. He has championed the welfare of paddy farmers in Kedah, urging the federal government to fulfil its pledged RM30 million aid disbursement from Padi Beras Nasional Berhad (Bernas) to farmers in his constituency and beyond [2]. On party-political matters, he has been a consistent defender of BERSATU's central leadership, publicly warning against internal elements he described as acting to undermine party unity ahead of the next general election [2]. On the Kedah state level, he has stated he will continue backing Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor's PAS-led government unless directed otherwise by BERSATU's central leadership, reflecting a position of deference to party hierarchy on coalition matters [6]. He has also previously advocated for institutional reforms including an anti-party hopping act and a two-term limit for the prime minister [6].

References

  1. [1]sinarharian.com.my
  2. [2]malaysiakini.com
  3. [3]election.thestar.com.my
  4. [4]en.wikipedia.org
  5. [5]malaymail.com
  6. [6]freemalaysiatoday.com

Before politics

  1. Before 2018Worked as a news photographer before resigning to join active politics with BERSATU.⛓

Political career

  1. 2018Contested the Paya Besar parliamentary seat (Pahang) under PH-PPBM at GE14. Received 21.4% of the vote (11,776 votes) in a three-cornered fight and lost to BN's Mohd Shahar Abdullah.⛓
  2. 2019Served as PPBM Youth (Armada) education bureau head, publicly commenting on national language policy issues.⛓
  3. 2020Served as Armada national information chief. Publicly supported Muhyiddin Yassin's leadership when the Bersatu-Syed Saddiq split occurred, and questioned the Pakatan Harapan government's handling of the KVDT2 rail tender.⛓
  4. 2021As Armada information chief, warned of political crisis if the bipartisan consensus under PM Ismail Sabri was not genuine, and called for institutional reforms including an anti-party hopping act.⛓
  5. August 2022As Armada national information chief, called on the Ministry of Health to review its Healthcare Workers COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (HWCITF) report on bullying among junior doctors, and recommended stronger investigation protocols.⛓
  6. July–August 2023Fielded as PN-BERSATU candidate for Kota Siputeh (N.03) at the Kedah state election. His candidacy was initially opposed by some Bersatu Jerlun members who described him as an outsider. Won the seat with 17,180 votes (57.7%), majority 13,090, defeating PH incumbent Dr Salmee Said.⛓
  7. August 2023After winning, asked constituents to address him by his nickname 'Acap' or 'Ashraf' rather than 'YB', and announced his manifesto 'Iltizam Suara Siputeh'.⛓
  8. November 2024Attended Bersatu's annual general meeting and reaffirmed support for Muhyiddin Yassin as PN's prime ministerial candidate for GE16, citing public reception data and Muhyiddin's record during the COVID-19 pandemic.⛓
  9. February 2026Attended a gathering of Bersatu legislators at Muhyiddin Yassin's residence amid the internal leadership feud between Muhyiddin and Deputy President Hamzah Zainudin. Confirmed to media that Hamzah had not yet been sacked.⛓
  10. June 2026Stated that Bersatu Kedah assemblymen would continue backing Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor's PAS-led state government pending direction from BERSATU's central leadership, following PAS's decision to sever its alliance with Bersatu.⛓

Election history

  • 2023Kota Siputeh (N03, Kedah)Won57.7%⛓
  • 2018Paya Besar (P084)Lost21.4%⛓

Stance evolution

Public statements grouped chronologically. The party tag shows which party the politician was contesting under at that point.

  1. 2026BERSATU
    • For now, the Bersatu leadership hasn't met yet. We await the central leadership's directive. But in Kedah, the relationship between (PAS and Bersatu) assemblymen is fine. We have no issues with one another.

      Speaking to Free Malaysia Today after PAS announced it was severing ties with BERSATU, on the question of whether Kedah Bersatu assemblymen would continue supporting Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor. · Source

    • Hamzah has not been sacked yet.

      Told Free Malaysia Today when met in front of Muhyiddin's residence in Bukit Damansara after a gathering of Bersatu legislators amid the Muhyiddin-Hamzah leadership feud. · Source

  2. 2024BERSATU
    • Based on public reception and data — including findings from think tanks and data centres — we know that Muhyiddin's standing remains strong. His contributions, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, are still remembered by the people.

      Speaking to Malay Mail at the Bersatu annual general meeting at IDCC Shah Alam, on the question of who should be PN's prime ministerial candidate for GE16. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • GovernmentAs a PN-aligned state assemblyman in opposition to the federal Madani government, Ashraf has been critical of federal disbursement of aid to Kedah paddy farmers, urging Putrajaya to fulfil its promised RM30 million Bernas contribution to farmers (Source: Malaysiakini, April 2025).⛓
  • OppositionAshraf functions as part of the PN opposition bloc at the federal level. He has publicly criticised the Anwar Ibrahim-led government's approach to bumiputera fund consolidation as pursuing an 'equality agenda' at the expense of bumiputera development (Source: Malaysiakini, February 2023).⛓
  • VerifiedFactsAshraf Mustaqim won the Kota Siputeh state seat at the 2023 Kedah state election with 17,180 votes (57.7%), a majority of 13,090 votes, defeating PH incumbent Dr Salmee Said who received 4,090 votes, and Independent Abdul Ramli who received 312 votes. This is confirmed by both The Star election results and Sinar Harian reporting.⛓
  • PublicPrior to the 2023 election, some Bersatu Jerlun members and polling district chiefs publicly opposed Ashraf's candidacy, with Bersatu Jerlun deputy information chief Zailani Md Zain stating that Ashraf was 'not truly a local person' from the Kota Siputeh area (Source: Sinar Harian, July 2023).⛓

Sources

Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.

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