Rosol Wahid

Summary

Datuk Rosol bin Wahid (born 10 July 1964) is the BERSATU Member of Parliament for Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu, having held the seat continuously since May 2018 — first under BN and then under PN. A former teacher and three-term state assemblyman for Ajil, he served as Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs across two administrations before transitioning to the opposition bench after the Madani government took office in November 2022. As of May 2026, his Bersatu party membership has been suspended for two terms following a disciplinary finding, though he remains the sitting MP for Hulu Terengganu.

Biography

Datuk Rosol bin Wahid (born 10 July 1964) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Hulu Terengganu, Terengganu, since May 2018 [1]. Before entering federal politics, he served three consecutive terms as State Legislative Assembly (MLA) member for Ajil, Terengganu, from November 1999 to May 2013, before not re-contesting that seat [1]. He is a former teacher by profession, a background referenced in coverage of his GE15 campaign [2]. Rosol was originally a member of UMNO, winning the Hulu Terengganu parliamentary seat in GE14 (May 2018) on a BN ticket with a majority of 2,868 votes [2]. In December 2018, he resigned from UMNO alongside five other MPs, and in February 2019 formally joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) under then-chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad [2]. He subsequently served as Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs under both the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (March 2020–August 2021) and the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob (August 2021–November 2022) [1]. He successfully defended his Hulu Terengganu seat in GE15 (November 2022) on a PN/PAS ticket, winning with a majority of 15,734 votes [3]. In May 2026, Bersatu's disciplinary board suspended his party membership for two terms; he confirmed he would not appeal the decision [4].

Known for

Rosol Wahid is known as the sole Bersatu MP in Terengganu to have survived two general elections — first under BN and later under PN — in a state otherwise dominated by PAS [2]. He gained national profile as Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, handling consumer price controls and essential goods regulation [5]. His mid-term party switch from UMNO to Bersatu in 2018–2019 drew significant political attention and calls for a by-election, which he dismissed [2].

Political positions

As Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Rosol was involved in price control mechanisms for essential goods including cooking oil, chicken, and eggs, representing the government's position that price increases during 2021–2022 stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, and rising raw material costs rather than hoarding by traders [5]. As an opposition MP post-GE15, he has aligned with the Perikatan Nasional bloc and publicly stated that no Bersatu MPs would declare support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim [5]. He has also called for accountability on integrity issues, including urging the government to place the MACC chief on garden leave pending investigation into shares ownership [6]. On party governance, he has publicly criticised Bersatu's disciplinary board for lacking transparency and for conflating investigative, prosecutorial, and decision-making functions in the same body [4].

Before politics

1. Pre-1999Worked as a teacher before entering politics. Bernama coverage of GE15 identifies him as an 'ex-teacher'.⛓

Political career

1. November 1999First elected as State Legislative Assembly member for Ajil, Terengganu, under UMNO/BN. Re-elected in 2004 and 2008 state elections.⛓
2. May 2013Did not re-contest the Ajil state seat in the 2013 general election, ending his three-term run as assemblyman.⛓
3. May 2018Won the Hulu Terengganu parliamentary seat (P038) in GE14 on a BN/UMNO ticket, defeating PAS and PKR candidates with a majority of 2,868 votes.⛓
4. December 2018Resigned from UMNO alongside five other MPs, citing inability to effectively serve constituents as opposition in a PAS-led Terengganu state government.⛓
5. February 2019Formally joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) when then-Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced the acceptance of six former UMNO MPs.⛓
6. March 2020Appointed Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs under the Perikatan Nasional administration of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.⛓
7. August 2021Continued as Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs under the new BN administration of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.⛓
8. November 2022Successfully defended the Hulu Terengganu seat (P038) in GE15 on a PN ticket (under PAS logo), winning with a majority of 15,734 votes. Ceased serving as Deputy Minister following BN administration's collapse.⛓
9. May 2026Bersatu's disciplinary board suspended his party membership for two election terms, effective from that date, for breaching the party's constitution and code of conduct. He confirmed he would not appeal.⛓

Election history

• 2022Hulu Terengganu (P038)Won⛓
• 2018Hulu Terengganu (P038)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentUMNO Terengganu invited Rosol to join 'Rumah Bangsa' following his Bersatu membership suspension, signalling the ruling coalition's interest in his realignment. Bersatu's disciplinary board chairman Radzi Manan stated those suspended were found to have breached the party's constitution and code of conduct and ethics.⛓
• OppositionRosol publicly stated that no Bersatu MPs would declare support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, affirming his alignment with the Perikatan Nasional opposition bloc as recently as November 2023.⛓
• VerifiedFactsRosol won GE15 (November 2022) with a majority of 15,734 votes on a PN ticket, making him the sole Bersatu candidate to win a parliamentary seat in Terengganu in that election.⛓
• PublicTerengganu UMNO Youth submitted a memorandum to the Hulu Terengganu UMNO Division in December 2018 urging Rosol to vacate his parliamentary seat after his switch to Bersatu, reflecting constituency-level pressure on his party change.⛓