Ridzuan Ahmad

Summary

Ridzuan Ahmad (BERSATU) is the Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri for Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, elected in August 2023, and previously served as the state's Leader of the Opposition from October 2023 to March 2024. He gained attention during the 2026 Negeri Sembilan political crisis when he broke from the PN bloc's initial position and adopted a neutral stance on changing the state government, prioritising political stability and the welfare of constituents. He continues to serve as an opposition assemblyman, focusing on local issues such as infrastructure and cost of living.

Biography

Ridzuan bin Ahmad is a Malaysian politician and member of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. He has served as the Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) for Gemas, a state constituency in Negeri Sembilan, since August 2023 [1]. Gemas falls under the Tampin parliamentary district and is located approximately 101 km southeast of Seremban, with a population that is predominantly Malay [1]. Ridzuan contested the Gemas state seat under the PN banner in the August 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election and won, defeating BN's incumbent Abdul Razak Ab Said [2]. He was also the PN candidate for the Gemas parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15) in November 2022, where he received 39.3% of votes (11,653 votes), finishing ahead of BN's candidate [3]. Following his victory in the 2023 state election, he was appointed State Leader of the Opposition of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly in October 2023, a role he held until March 2024 [1]. He was succeeded in that role by fellow BERSATU assemblyman Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker (Labu) in March 2024, as part of a restructuring of the state PN chapter [2]. As of 2026, Ridzuan continues to serve as the ADUN for Gemas and sits on the opposition bench in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly [4]. His pre-political career and educational background have not been reported by allowlisted sources and are therefore not included here.

Known for

Ridzuan Ahmad is identified as the BERSATU assemblyman for Gemas who won the seat in the 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election and briefly served as the State Opposition Leader from October 2023 to March 2024 [1]. He drew wider attention during the 2026 Negeri Sembilan political crisis when he departed from a joint PN position by adopting a neutral stance on changing the state government, citing the risk of political instability and its impact on economic recovery [2]. He has stated his role as an opposition assemblyman is to provide checks and balances on the state government's policies while focusing on constituents' welfare [4].

Political positions

Ridzuan Ahmad has stated that his priority as an elected representative is to focus on issues affecting constituents' daily lives, including cost of living, job opportunities, social welfare, and economic development [2]. He has expressed the view that major changes in the political landscape should be determined by the electorate through general elections rather than through inter-party realignments between election cycles [5]. He has committed to remaining on the opposition bench to perform the check-and-balance function against the Negeri Sembilan state government's policies [6]. On constituency matters, he has raised road safety issues in the Gemas area, including a sunken road at the Gemas flyover, through the State Legislative Assembly sitting [4].

Political career

1. November 2022Contested the Gemas parliamentary seat (GE15) under Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU), receiving 39.3% of votes (11,653 votes) but the seat was not won at the parliamentary level.⛓
2. August 2023Won the Gemas state seat (N34) in the Negeri Sembilan state election under Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU), becoming the ADUN for Gemas.⛓
3. October 2023Appointed as State Leader of the Opposition of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly (15th DUN), as announced by the DUN Speaker.⛓
4. March 2024Stepped down as State Opposition Leader in Negeri Sembilan. Succeeded by fellow BERSATU assemblyman Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker (Labu) as part of a restructuring of the state PN chapter.⛓
5. April 2026Among five PN Negeri Sembilan assemblymen who indicated readiness to work with 14 BN lawmakers to form a new state government during the Negeri Sembilan political crisis.⛓
6. May 2026Reversed his earlier position and adopted a neutral stance on the Negeri Sembilan state government change, citing risk of political instability and the need to prioritise economic recovery and public welfare.⛓

Election history

• 2023Gemas (N34, Negeri Sembilan State)Won⛓
• 2022Gemas (Parliamentary)Lost39.3%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentNegeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun stated that he respected Ridzuan Ahmad's neutral stance during the 2026 political crisis, saying Ridzuan prioritised the interests of the state.⛓
• OppositionPAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang reportedly stated that PAS could not accept the reasons given by Bersatu assemblymen in Negeri Sembilan — including Ridzuan Ahmad — for withdrawing their statutory declarations, characterising the move as a breach of coalition solidarity within Perikatan Nasional.⛓
• VerifiedFactsRidzuan Ahmad won the N34 Gemas state seat in the August 2023 Negeri Sembilan state election under the Perikatan Nasional banner, and served as State Opposition Leader from October 2023 to March 2024 before being replaced by Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker.⛓
• IndustryBersatu's Negeri Sembilan information chief Nazree Yunus stated that the neutral stance taken by Ridzuan Ahmad and fellow ADUN Mohamad Hanifah was the correct course of action given that UMNO had chosen to remain in the Unity Government, and that criticism of their position was unwarranted.⛓