Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid

Summary

Mohd Fared bin Mohd Khalid is an UMNO politician and lawyer who has represented the N17 Semerah state seat in Johor since winning the March 2022 state election with a majority of 4,041 votes. As a Johor State EXCO member, he chairs the State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee, making him the principal state official responsible for Islamic education, enforcement against deviant teachings, fatwa governance, and religious welfare programmes. He is contesting the Semerah seat again under the BN-UMNO ticket in the July 2026 Johor state election.

Biography

Mohd Fared bin Mohd Khalid is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as Member of the Johor State Executive Council (EXCO) under Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Member of the Johor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for N17 Semerah since March 2022 [1]. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition [1]. Prior to entering the state legislature, he served as Chief of the UMNO Youth Movement for the Parit Sulong Division [2]. He was 43 years old at the time of the 2022 Johor state election, in which he contested as the youngest candidate in a five-way contest for the Semerah seat [3]. He won the seat with a majority of 4,041 votes [4]. Within the Johor state government, Mohd Fared was appointed Chairman of the State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee, a portfolio through which he has overseen Islamic education initiatives, enforcement against deviant religious movements, fatwa governance, and religious welfare programmes for low-income Johoreans [5][6][3]. He has been named as the BN-UMNO candidate for N17 Semerah in the 2026 Johor state election, scheduled for 11 July 2026 [7].

Known for

Mohd Fared is principally known as the Johor state government's point person on Islamic religious affairs, having chaired the State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee since 2022. In this role he has overseen enforcement against deviant religious movements, launched Islamic education initiatives including programmes to produce state-certified imams and huffaz, and administered the state's religious welfare and financial aid programmes [5]. He is also associated with Johor's announcement of what was described as Malaysia's first Islamic rehabilitation centre for persons in same-sex relationships [6].

Political positions

Mohd Fared has consistently advocated for the primacy of Johor's established Islamic religious institutions, stating that only the state's Fatwa Committee holds authority to issue Islamic decrees and calling out parties that attempt to usurp that function [3]. He has taken firm public stances on eradicating deviant religious movements, designating groups such as Millah Abraham as threats to national security [3]. On workers' rights, he has affirmed that employers who prevent Muslim employees from performing Friday prayers may face action under the Employment Act [5]. On religious enforcement, he has urged the public not to take the law into their own hands and to use official channels instead [3]. He has also overseen welfare programmes for low-income Johoreans through Islamic charitable institutions, including shopping vouchers for zakat recipients and financial aid for newlyweds [3].

Before politics

1. Pre-2022Practised as a lawyer prior to entering electoral politics.⛓

Political career

1. Pre-2022Served as Chief of the UMNO Youth Movement for the Parit Sulong Division.⛓
2. February 2022As Chief of UMNO Youth Parit Sulong, led a police report against then-PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin over statements on national finances, citing the Official Secrets Act 1972.⛓
3. March 2022Won the N17 Semerah seat in the 2022 Johor state election under BN-UMNO with a majority of 4,041 votes, becoming the Semerah MLA.⛓
4. March 2022Appointed Member of the Johor State Executive Council (EXCO) and Chairman of the State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee under Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi.⛓
5. July 2022Announced details of the 'Bantuan Kasih Bangsa Johor' financial aid programme providing RM1,000 to first-time married couples in Johor.⛓
6. July 2023Launched the Orang Muda Johor (OMJ) initiative to produce 500 certified young imams and 1,200 state huffaz annually, with Kolej Universiti Islam Johor Sultan Ibrahim (KUIJSI) as secretariat.⛓
7. November 2023Announced that Johor was establishing what was described as Malaysia's first Islamic rehabilitation centre for persons in same-sex relationships.⛓
8. June 2026Named as BN-UMNO candidate for N17 Semerah in the 2026 Johor state election, polling day 11 July 2026.⛓

Election history

• 2026N17 Semerah, JohorPending⛓
• 2022N17 Semerah, JohorWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsMohd Fared won the N17 Semerah seat in the 2022 Johor state election with a majority of 4,041 votes and has served as Johor State EXCO and Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman since March 2022.⛓
• GovernmentAs part of the BN Johor state government, Mohd Fared has been retained as a state EXCO member and named as the BN-UMNO candidate for Semerah in the 2026 state election, reflecting the Johor BN leadership's continued confidence in his role.⛓
• OppositionIn the 2026 Johor state election, Mohd Fared faces challengers from Pakatan Harapan (PKR candidate Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar) and Perikatan Nasional (PAS candidate Halim Kepol) in a three-cornered contest at N17 Semerah, which has a registered electorate of 47,431 voters.⛓