Mohd Nassuruddin Daud

Summary

Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud is a PAS politician and religious scholar who has represented the Meranti state constituency in Kelantan since 1995 across seven consecutive electoral terms. He was sworn in as the 9th Menteri Besar of Kelantan on 15 August 2023 following PN's landslide win in the state election, becoming only the third person to hold the post since PAS took power in 1990. His administration has focused on flood mitigation, infrastructure investment, affordable housing, and continued Islam-based governance in the state.

Biography

Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin bin Daud (born 4 October 1965) is a Malaysian politician and religious scholar who has served as the Menteri Besar of Kelantan since 15 August 2023 and as Member of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Meranti since April 1995 [1]. A graduate of Al-Azhar University, Egypt, he is a member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and serves as the Kelantan PAS State Information Chief [2][3]. He has held the Meranti state seat for seven consecutive terms, first winning it in the 9th General Election in 1995 [4][3]. Prior to becoming Menteri Besar, he served as the State Islamic Development, Dakwah, Information and Regional Relations Committee chairman from 2013, and as Speaker of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly from April 2008 to June 2013 [1]. He was sworn in as the 9th Menteri Besar of Kelantan before Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negeri, Kubang Kerian, on 15 August 2023, following PAS-Bersatu's landslide win in the state election in which PN captured 43 of 45 seats [5][6]. In the 2023 state election, he retained the Meranti seat by defeating BN candidate Zahri Omar with a majority of 9,154 votes [5][6]. He is married to Datin Wan Norhanita Wan Yaakob and has five children [2][3]. His administration has prioritised flood mitigation, infrastructure development, and affordable housing for Kelantan residents [7][8].

Known for

Mohd Nassuruddin Daud is known for his unbroken seven-term hold on the Meranti state seat since 1995, making him one of PAS's most durable elected representatives in Kelantan [2]. As Menteri Besar since August 2023, he leads the Perikatan Nasional state government formed after PAS-Bersatu's historic 43-of-45-seat landslide in the 2023 Kelantan state election [5]. He is also recognised as a PAS party figure described in Sinar Daily as one of the party's 'warlords' and a prominent proponent of Islam-based governance in Kelantan [5][9].

Political positions

Mohd Nassuruddin Daud advocates for Islam-based governance as the foundation of Kelantan's state administration, publicly stating his intent to 'continue the legacy of developing with Islam' [2][6]. He has maintained that Islam and politics are inseparable, though he agrees that party branding should be kept out of mosques [10][11]. On state-federal relations, he has adopted a cooperative posture, describing the relationship as important for the people's wellbeing while working with the federal government on key development projects [2][6]. On flood management — a defining issue for Kelantan — he has committed to re-examining the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin Project and working with federal agencies on long-term flood mitigation, welcoming RM4.15 billion in federal flood project allocations announced in August 2025 [4][12][13]. On the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code, Nassuruddin expressed surprise at a constitutional challenge brought against the enactment, indicating the state government's strong commitment to upholding the Code [14][15]. On economic development, he has called for expedited federal infrastructure projects — including highways, industrial zones, and airport upgrades — to raise the living standards of Kelantanese [7][16].

Education

1. Pre-1995Graduated from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, with a background in Islamic studies.⛓

Political career

1. April 1995First elected as Member of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Meranti in the 9th General Election, under the APU/PAS banner.⛓
2. April 2008Appointed Speaker of the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly, a post he held until June 2013.⛓
3. May 2013Appointed Member of the Kelantan State Executive Council (EXCO) under Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob, serving as State Islamic Development, Dakwah, Information and Regional Relations Committee chairman — a role he held through the PR, GS, and PN state administrations until 2023.⛓
4. 12 August 2023Retained the Meranti state seat in the 2023 Kelantan state election, defeating BN candidate Zahri Omar with a majority of 9,154 votes, as PAS-PN won 43 of 45 seats.⛓
5. 15 August 2023Sworn in as the 9th Menteri Besar of Kelantan before Sultan Muhammad V at Istana Negeri, Kubang Kerian, becoming the third MB in PAS's continuous governance of Kelantan since 1990.⛓

Election history

• 2023Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 2018Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 2013Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 2008Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 2004Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 1999Meranti, KelantanWon⛓
• 1995Meranti, KelantanWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs Menteri Besar, Mohd Nassuruddin has framed his administration around Islam-based governance, state-federal cooperation under federalism principles, and prioritising flood management and infrastructure development to raise the living standards of Kelantanese (Source: thestar.com.my, August 2023; theedgemalaysia.com, November 2024).⛓
• VerifiedFactsMohd Nassuruddin Daud has held the Meranti state seat for seven consecutive terms since 1995 and has been Kelantan Menteri Besar since 15 August 2023. He is a PAS member and Al-Azhar University graduate. The 2023 Kelantan state election saw PN win 43 of 45 seats; he retained Meranti with a 9,154-vote majority.⛓
• OppositionA constitutional challenge to 20 provisions of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 was heard at the Federal Court, with the opposing lawyer arguing that federal laws cover the same offences and that criminal legislation belongs exclusively to Parliament — a position Nassuruddin publicly rejected, expressing surprise that Muslims would challenge the enactment (Source: nst.com.my, November 2023).⛓