Muhamad Kasim

Summary

Muhamad Kasim (Muhamad bin Kasim) is a retired military Colonel serving as the BERSATU-PN ADUN for Telok Bahang, Pulau Pinang, following his victory in the 12 August 2023 state election. He was sworn into the Penang State Legislative Assembly on 29 August 2023 as part of an 11-member opposition bloc. In the DUN, he has focused on infrastructure and land issues, including Penang LRT land acquisition compensation and heritage village gazetting.

Biography

Muhamad Kasim (full name: Muhamad bin Kasim) is a Malaysian politician and retired military officer serving as the Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) for Telok Bahang, Pulau Pinang, since August 2023 [1]. He is a member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component party of Perikatan Nasional (PN) [1]. Born circa 1961, he holds the retired rank of Colonel (Kolonel Bersara) [2]. He was fielded by BERSATU as the PN candidate for the N40 Telok Bahang seat in the Pulau Pinang State Election (PRN) held on 12 August 2023, contesting in a straight fight against the Pakatan Harapan–Barisan Nasional coalition candidate, Ahmad Zaki Shah Shah Headan [2]. Muhamad Kasim won the seat, and BERSATU retained Telok Bahang as one of four DUN seats it captured in Pulau Pinang in that election [3]. He was subsequently sworn in as a state assemblyman on 29 August 2023 as part of the 11-member PN opposition bloc in the Penang State Legislative Assembly [3]. Telok Bahang (N40) is a Malay-majority constituency covering the northwestern corner of Penang Island, including the town of Teluk Bahang [1]. In the DUN, Muhamad Kasim has been active in raising constituency-related questions, including queries on the Penang LRT Laluan Mutiara project's progress and land acquisition compensation for affected residents [4], as well as questions on the gazetting of heritage villages in Penang [4].

Known for

Muhamad Kasim is known as a retired military colonel who transitioned into state-level politics under the BERSATU banner, winning the Telok Bahang seat for PN in the 2023 Penang state election [5]. He sits in the Penang State Legislative Assembly as part of the opposition bloc and has focused his DUN engagement on infrastructure issues — notably the Penang LRT project — and land and heritage matters affecting his constituents [4].

Political positions

Based on sourced DUN activity, Muhamad Kasim has raised questions in the Penang State Legislative Assembly concerning the Penang LRT Laluan Mutiara project, specifically seeking information on site preparation progress, the number of residents affected by land acquisition, and compensation amounts payable under the Land Acquisition Act 1960 [4]. He has also questioned the state government on the number of areas gazetted as heritage villages or heritage zones in Penang [4]. On the campaign trail ahead of the 2023 state election, he stated his intention to ensure BERSATU and PN retained the Telok Bahang seat [2]. No further sourced public positions on other policy matters were identified within the allowlist at the time of drafting.

Before politics

1. Pre-2023Muhamad Kasim served a full career in the Malaysian Armed Forces, retiring at the rank of Colonel (Kolonel Bersara).⛓

Political career

1. July 2023Named as the BERSATU/Perikatan Nasional candidate for the N40 Telok Bahang seat in the 2023 Penang State Election.⛓
2. 29 July 2023Officially nominated as the PN candidate for Telok Bahang at the nomination centre in SJKC Yu Chye, Kuala Sungai Pinang, in a straight fight against BN-PH candidate Ahmad Zaki Shah Shah Headan.⛓
3. 12 August 2023Won the N40 Telok Bahang seat in the 2023 Penang State Election, as BERSATU secured four DUN seats in Penang under the PN coalition.⛓
4. 29 August 2023Sworn in as ADUN for Telok Bahang at the Penang State Legislative Assembly building in Georgetown, as one of 11 opposition assemblymen.⛓

Election history

• 2023N40 Telok Bahang, Pulau PinangWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsMuhamad Kasim won the N40 Telok Bahang seat in the 12 August 2023 Penang state election under the BERSATU/PN banner and was sworn in as ADUN on 29 August 2023, sitting as part of the 11-member PN opposition bloc in the Penang State Legislative Assembly.⛓
• OppositionAs an opposition ADUN, Muhamad Kasim has used the DUN floor to question the Penang state government on the LRT Laluan Mutiara project's land acquisition process and compensation for affected residents, as well as the gazetting of heritage kampungs.⛓
• GovernmentThe Penang state government, through Infrastructure Committee Chairman Zairil Khir Johari, responded to Muhamad Kasim's DUN question by stating that compensation quantum for LRT-affected residents would only be finalised after the completion of the inquiry process under Section 12 of the Land Acquisition Act 1960.⛓