TopicsPolitician AnalysisMuhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi

Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi

Party
PAS · Malaysian Islamic Party
Coalition
PN
Constituency
Batu Buruk
State
Terengganu
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Why this matters to you

As Terengganu's EXCO chairman for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment, Muhammad Khalil directly shapes the state's regulatory environment for entertainment, public events, and religious conduct — policies that affect what events can be held, how businesses operating in the entertainment and hospitality sector obtain licences, and how Islamic law is applied to daily life in Terengganu (Source: sinarharian.com.my, freemalaysiatoday.com). Residents of the Batu Buruk state constituency in Kuala Terengganu have him as their elected ADUN — the representative responsible for raising constituency concerns and channelling state resources to their area (Source: bernama.com). His committee's oversight of syariah compliance and enforcement means that businesses, event organisers, and members of the public in Terengganu operate within guidelines and enforcement mechanisms that his committee is actively reviewing and strengthening (Source: sinarharian.com.my).

Summary

Dr Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi is the PAS assemblyman for Batu Buruk in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly and EXCO chairman for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment in the PN-led Terengganu state government since August 2023 [1][2]. He holds a doctorate from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin and is the son of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang [1]. His political career spans PAS youth leadership roles and increasingly prominent positions in Terengganu's state administration, where he focuses on Islamic governance and syariah empowerment [3][4].

Biography

Dr Muhammad Khalil bin Abdul Hadi (born 1977, Marang, Terengganu) is a Malaysian politician and member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. He has served as the Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Batu Buruk since May 2018 [1]. Note: Batu Buruk is a state constituency in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly, not a federal parliamentary seat. He was elevated to the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO) in August 2023, holding the portfolio of Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment [2][4]. From May 2018 until his EXCO appointment, he served as a Deputy EXCO Member [1]. He is the son of Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, the seventh and longest-serving PAS President and Member of Parliament for Marang [1]. He obtained primary education at Rusila National School in Terengganu, a bachelor's degree in Islamic and Shariah Studies from Iman University, Yemen, a master's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and a doctorate from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin on October 30, 2022 [1]. He began his involvement in PAS politics in 2006 and rose through party ranks, serving as PAS Youth Deputy Chief (2013–2017) and PAS Youth Chief (2017–2019), as well as chairperson of PAS's Central International Affairs and External Relations Council [1][3]. He also served as chairperson of the Secretariat of Aid4Palestine from May 2021 [5].

Known for

Muhammad Khalil is known primarily as the son and political inheritor of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, having built an independent political career through PAS's youth wing and the Terengganu state administration [1]. As EXCO chairman for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment in Terengganu, he has been the state government's public voice on Islamic governance matters, including the development and enforcement of syariah guidelines affecting entertainment, public conduct, and religious affairs [4][2]. He has also drawn attention as PAS's international affairs spokesman, commenting on global Islamic political developments [6][1].

Political positions

As EXCO chairman for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment, Muhammad Khalil has publicly prioritised the strengthening and enforcement of Islamic law in Terengganu. He has indicated the state government is in the final stages of publishing comprehensive syariah guidelines covering entertainment events, tourism activities, and non-Muslim celebrations, framed around principles of Islamic creed and morality [4]. He has spoken in favour of the state government playing a role in defending the standing of Islamic law in the Malaysian legal system [4]. He has attributed PAS's GE15 electoral gains to the reach of social media platforms such as TikTok among young and first-time voters, and characterised the results as evidence that 'conservative religious politics' of PAS are growing in appeal [6]. As PAS's International Affairs and External Relations Council chairman, he made public statements in August 2021 congratulating the Taliban following their takeover of Afghanistan, which Malaysian Islamic Party's Wikipedia page noted were widely condemned by Malaysian social media users and were subsequently taken down [1]. He has also called on local councils to follow DBKL's liquor regulation guidelines restricting hard liquor sales [6].

References

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

Education

  1. PrimaryAttended Rusila National School in Terengganu for primary education.⛓
  2. Late 1990s–early 2000sObtained a bachelor's degree in Islamic and Shariah Studies from Iman University, Yemen.⛓
  3. Post-2006Graduated with a master's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom.⛓
  4. 30 October 2022Graduated with a doctorate degree from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin.⛓

Before politics

  1. 2006Began involvement in PAS politics after graduating from Iman University, Yemen. Held positions including PAS Youth Chief of Rusila Branch and Marang PAS Youth Chief.⛓

Political career

  1. 2013–2017Served as PAS Youth Deputy Chief.⛓
  2. 2017–2019Served as PAS Youth Chief.⛓
  3. May 2018Elected as ADUN for Batu Buruk in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly. Subsequently served as Deputy EXCO Member in the Terengganu state government.⛓
  4. 13 May 2021Appointed chairperson of the Secretariat of Aid4Palestine.⛓
  5. August 2023Re-elected as ADUN for Batu Buruk in the 2023 Terengganu state election. Appointed EXCO member for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment by Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.⛓

Election history

  • 2023Batu Buruk (N16), Terengganu State Legislative AssemblyWon⛓
  • 2018Batu Buruk (N16), Terengganu State Legislative AssemblyWon⛓

Stance evolution

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

  1. 2022PAS
    • Preliminary analysis shows that the wave of young voters and Malay voters getting their first-hand information from social media platforms such as TikTok was one of the main factors in PAS' 49-seat victory

      Written by Muhammad Khalil in PAS news outlet HarakahDaily, as reported by Malay Mail, on PAS's GE15 electoral performance. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • GovernmentAppointed as EXCO for Information, Dakwah and Syariah Empowerment by Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar in August 2023, reflecting the PN-led Terengganu government's confidence in his mandate to advance Islamic governance in the state.⛓
  • OppositionIn the 2023 Terengganu state election, Pakatan Harapan fielded Amanah candidate Zamir Ghazali against Muhammad Khalil in a straight fight at Batu Buruk, with Zamir presenting a 13-point agenda for the constituency including flood mitigation and housing — indicating PH identified the seat as contestable.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsMuhammad Khalil is the ADUN for Batu Buruk in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly, not a federal Member of Parliament. Batu Buruk (N16) is a state seat. His father, Abdul Hadi Awang, holds the federal parliamentary seat of Marang.⛓

Sources

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

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