Nushi Mahfodz

Summary

Nushi bin Mahfodz is a British-born Malaysian politician, syariah law lecturer, and preacher who represents the Semenyih state constituency in Selangor under PAS and the Perikatan Nasional coalition, having won the seat in August 2023. He holds academic posts at KUIS and previously at IIUM, and serves as Secretary of Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat and political secretary to the PAS Selangor Commissioner. His tenure has been marked by opposition scrutiny of state budgets, participation in Islamic administration legislation debates, and a publicly discussed constituency visit to a Hindu temple in April 2025.

Biography

Nushi bin Mahfodz (born 27 December 1975) is a British-born Malaysian politician, preacher and lecturer who has served as Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Semenyih since August 2023 [1]. He is a member of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and contested the Semenyih seat under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. Born in Britain, Nushi pursued his tertiary education in Jordan before returning to Malaysia in 2001, after which he joined the Ahmad Ibrahim Law School at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) as a lecturer, a post he held for a decade [1]. From 2011 onwards, he moved to the Faculty of Syariah and Law at the Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS), where he continues to serve as a lecturer, and has been deputy director of KUISCELL Sdn Bhd since 2014 [1]. Alongside his academic career, he served as a syariah advisor at Asian Finance Bank from 2014 to 2017, and continued in the role after the bank was renamed MBSB Bank until 2018 [1]. Prior to his election to the state assembly, he was a former councillor with Kajang Municipal Council in 2014 and held the post of Selangor PAS information chief [2][3]. He first contested in the 2018 Selangor state election at the Sungai Ramal seat under PAS, receiving 13,961 votes but losing to the Pakatan Harapan candidate [4]. In the 2023 Selangor state election, he stood for the Semenyih seat and won with 37,068 votes (38.1%), defeating BN's Wan Zulaika Anua by a majority of 1,262 votes [2][5]. As of May 2026, he holds the positions of political secretary to the PAS Selangor Commissioner and secretary of Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat [6].

Known for

Nushi Mahfodz is known as a syariah law academic turned state assemblyman, bringing an Islamic legal background into frontline politics in the diverse Semenyih constituency. He has drawn public attention for his April 2025 visit to a Hindu temple in Semenyih, which he defended as a constituent engagement exercise, prompting debate within PAS on the limits of inter-religious interaction for Muslim elected representatives [7][8]. Within the Selangor State Legislative Assembly, he has participated as an opposition voice on issues including Islamic administration legislation and state budget scrutiny [9].

Political positions

As a PAS member sitting on the opposition benches in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly, Nushi has participated in legislative debates on Islamic governance, including the Selangor Islamic Religious Administration Enactment Amendment Bill 2025, which was debated unanimously and passed [9][10]. On fiscal matters, he has called on the Selangor state government to clarify and strengthen provisions in the state budget for flood mitigation, citing losses from the 2021 floods as justification for more decisive action on disaster prevention infrastructure [9][11]. His party role as Secretary of Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat reflects alignment with the ulama wing of PAS, which emphasises Islamic scholarly credentials in political leadership. His approach to constituency service has included engagement with non-Muslim communities in the multiracial Semenyih area, as evidenced by his visit to a local Hindu temple, which he framed as a duty of an elected representative rather than a religious compromise [6][12].

Education

1. Before 2001Pursued tertiary education in Jordan, returning to Malaysia in 2001. The specific institution and qualification were not confirmed by sourced reporting.⛓

Before politics

1. 2001–2011Worked as a lecturer at the Ahmad Ibrahim Law School, International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), for a decade after returning from Jordan.⛓
2. 2011–presentJoined the Faculty of Syariah and Law at the Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS) as a lecturer.⛓
3. 2014Appointed deputy director of KUISCELL Sdn Bhd and began role as syariah advisor at Asian Finance Bank (Qatar-based).⛓
4. 2014Served as a councillor at Kajang Municipal Council.⛓
5. 2014–2018Served as syariah advisor at Asian Finance Bank (2014–2017), continuing the role after the bank was renamed MBSB Bank until 2018.⛓

Political career

1. May 2018Contested the Sungai Ramal (N26) state seat in the Selangor state election under PAS, receiving 13,961 votes (25.4%) but did not win the seat.⛓
2. August 2023Won the Semenyih (N24) state seat in the Selangor state election under PAS/Perikatan Nasional with 37,068 votes (38.1%), defeating BN's Wan Zulaika Anua by a majority of 1,262 votes. Sworn in as ADUN Semenyih.⛓
3. April 2025Visited the Arulmigu Dewi Sri Karumariamman Alayam Hindu temple in Semenyih as part of constituency engagement, prompting debate within PAS on permissible inter-religious interaction for Muslim elected representatives.⛓

Election history

• 2023Semenyih (N24), SelangorWon38.1%⛓
• 2018Sungai Ramal (N26), SelangorLost25.4%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• OppositionNushi has participated in Selangor DUN debates as an opposition member, questioning the state government on flood mitigation spending in the 2025 Selangor Budget and debating the Islamic Religious Administration Enactment Amendment Bill 2025.⛓
• GovernmentBangi MP Syahredzan Johan (PH) defended Nushi's visit to a Hindu temple as part of the basic responsibility of an elected representative to serve all races and religions in their constituency.⛓
• ExpertPAS Selangor's JUHAM (Department of Law and Human Rights) defended Nushi's temple visit as consistent with Islamic principles of harmony in a plural society, stating that Islam does not prohibit respecting the customs of other communities as long as no religious ritual participation is involved.⛓
• VerifiedFactsNushi Mahfodz won the Semenyih state seat in August 2023 with 37,068 votes (38.1%) under PAS/PN, defeating BN's Wan Zulaika Anua by a majority of 1,262 votes. He previously contested and lost the Sungai Ramal seat in the 2018 Selangor state election with 13,961 votes (25.4%).⛓