Rizam Ismail

Summary

Datuk Rizam bin Ismail (born 30 January 1981) is a two-term ADUN for Sungai Air Tawar (N01), Selangor, representing UMNO under the Barisan Nasional banner. He served as Selangor's Leader of the Opposition from 2018 to 2023 before being appointed to the Selangor State Executive Council in August 2023, where he holds the Rural and Village Development, National Unity, and Consumer Affairs portfolio — making him the sole BN/UMNO EXCO member in the Selangor state government for the first time in 15 years. He is also the Head of UMNO Division Sabak Bernam.

Biography

Datuk Rizam bin Ismail (born 30 January 1981 in Selangor) is a Malaysian politician from UMNO serving as the Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for Sungai Air Tawar (N01), a seat he has held since May 2018 [1]. He is also a member of the Selangor State Executive Council (EXCO), holding the portfolio of Rural and Village Development, Sustainability of Traditional Villages, National Unity, and Consumer Affairs under Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, a post he has held since August 2023 [2][3]. Rizam serves as the Head (Ketua) of UMNO Division Sabak Bernam [4]. Prior to joining the EXCO, he served as Political Secretary to the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, from April to August 2023 [1]. He is a native of the Sungai Air Tawar area in Sabak Bernam, Selangor [3]. In the 2018 general election (PRU14), Rizam won the Sungai Air Tawar seat for BN with a majority of 1,440 votes in a three-cornered fight [4]. He subsequently served as Leader of the Opposition in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly from June 2018 until 2023 [5]. In the 2023 Selangor state election (PRN15) on 12 August 2023, he successfully defended his seat with 7,870 votes (39.3%) and a majority of 846 votes over his nearest rival from Perikatan Nasional [6][7]. His appointment to the EXCO marked the first time in 15 years that Barisan Nasional held a position in the Selangor state government [1]. He holds the title of Datuk.

Known for

Rizam Ismail is known as the sole BN/UMNO representative in the Selangor State Executive Council since August 2023, marking BN's return to the Selangor state government after a 15-year absence [1]. He served as Leader of the Opposition in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly from June 2018 to 2023 — a period when BN held only his single seat in Selangor [5][4]. He chairs the EXCO committee overseeing Rural and Village Development, Sustainability of Traditional Villages, National Unity, and Consumer Affairs for the state of Selangor [3][2].

Political positions

Rizam Ismail operates within the UMNO and Barisan Nasional framework and has aligned himself with the national Unity Government (Kerajaan Perpaduan) formed between BN and Pakatan Harapan following GE15. During his time as Selangor Opposition Leader (2018–2023), he raised concerns about state government coordination with federal health authorities on COVID-19 quarantine and isolation centres, arguing that residents near such facilities should have been consulted [2][8]. He also publicly raised issues about inadequate broadband access in rural parts of the Sungai Air Tawar constituency, which he noted had three secondary schools and nearly 30 primary schools facing challenges during the pandemic period of home-based learning [4][9]. As EXCO member, his stated focus has been on rural and village development, national unity, and consumer affairs matters at the Selangor state level. He has emphasised the importance of the Unity Government coalition for delivering development to rural Selangor communities [4][3].

Before politics

1. April 2023 – August 2023Served as Political Secretary to the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, at the federal level.⛓

Political career

1. May 2018First elected as ADUN for Sungai Air Tawar (N01), Selangor, representing BN (UMNO) in the 14th Malaysian General Election (PRU14), winning with a majority of 1,440 votes in a three-cornered contest.⛓
2. June 2018Named as Leader of the Opposition (Ketua Pembangkang) of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly by the state speaker, becoming the sole BN opposition voice in the assembly.⛓
3. 12 August 2023Successfully defended the Sungai Air Tawar seat in the 2023 Selangor state election (PRN15), winning with 7,870 votes (39.3%) and a majority of 846 over PN's Mohamad Zaidi Selamat.⛓
4. 21 August 2023Sworn in as Member of the Selangor State Executive Council (EXCO), the sole BN/UMNO EXCO member — the first since 2008 — before Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at Istana Alam Shah.⛓
5. 23 August 2023Portfolios formally announced by Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari: Rural and Village Development, Sustainability of Traditional Villages, and National Unity (later expanded to include Consumer Affairs).⛓

Election history

• 2023Sungai Air Tawar (N01), SelangorWon39.3%⛓
• 2018Sungai Air Tawar (N01), SelangorWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentSelangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari defended Rizam's continued position in the EXCO in April 2026, reprimanding a PKR colleague who called for Rizam's removal. Amirudin stated that such statements could trigger instability and urged unity government leaders to exercise prudence.⛓
• OppositionSelangor PKR election director N. Sathia Prakash called for Rizam to be removed from the Selangor EXCO in April 2026, citing political tensions linked to UMNO assemblymen's conduct in Negeri Sembilan. UMNO Youth chief Akmal Saleh responded by publicly challenging critics to sack all UMNO leaders if they dared.⛓
• VerifiedFactsSungai Air Tawar (N01) is noted as the smallest Selangor state constituency by number of registered voters, with 20,026 registered voters recorded in the 2023 state election. Rizam is one of only two BN/UMNO ADUNs in the 56-seat Selangor State Legislative Assembly.⛓