Saarani Mohamad · Politician profile · CERAP

Topics Politician AnalysisSaarani Mohamad

Why this matters to you

As Menteri Besar, Saarani directly controls the Perak state budget — which reached a record RM1.3 billion in 2024 — meaning his decisions on spending priorities affect the roads, schools, clinics, and affordable housing that Perak residents rely on daily (Source: thestar.com.my). His administration's low-cost housing eligibility review and the Rumah Perakku programme directly shape whether B40 families in Perak can access subsidised homes (Source: bernama.com). His policies on rare earth royalties, TVET education, and food security set the economic conditions that affect employment opportunities and living costs for Perak's 2.6 million residents (Source: thestar.com.my, bernama.com).

Summary

Datuk Seri Saarani bin Mohamad is a veteran UMNO politician from Perak who has served as the state's Menteri Besar since December 2020, representing the Kota Tampan state seat — a position he has held since 2004. A former teacher by background, he has navigated Perak through successive coalition changes, most recently leading a historic BN-PH unity government formed after the 2022 state election. His administration has focused on economic diversification, food security, affordable housing, and positioning Perak as a national TVET hub.

Biography

Datuk Seri Saarani bin Mohamad (born 13 March 1961 in Kampung Raban, Lenggong, Perak) is a Malaysian politician and former teacher who has served as Menteri Besar of Perak since December 2020 and as Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kota Tampan since March 2004 [1]. He began his career as a teacher in 1982 after completing a Diploma in Science and Education (Physics and Mathematics) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and later obtained a Bachelor's Degree with Honours in Human Resource Management from Open University Malaysia [1]. He joined UMNO in 1989 and first entered the Perak State Legislative Assembly as MLA for Lenggong from November 1999 to March 2004, before winning the Kota Tampan seat in 2004 [1]. He served as a member of the Perak State Executive Council (EXCO) under Menteris Besar Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali and Zambry Abdul Kadir during successive BN administrations, and briefly again under Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu in the Perikatan Nasional administration in 2020 [2]. Following the fall of the PH state government in 2018, he served as Leader of the Opposition in the Perak State Assembly from August 2018 to March 2020 [2]. He was appointed Menteri Besar on 10 December 2020 after Ahmad Faizal Azumu lost a vote of no confidence, and was re-appointed following the 2022 Perak state election held concurrently with GE15, leading a BN-PH unity government [1]. He is also Perak BN and UMNO State Chairman, and UMNO Division Chief for Lenggong [2].

Known for

Saarani Mohamad is identified primarily as the Menteri Besar of Perak, a post he has held since December 2020 through two administrations. He is noted for his longevity in the Kota Tampan seat, which he has held continuously since 2004, and for navigating a minority-BN government by forming a historic unity coalition with PH following the 2022 state election. He has also championed the Perak Sejahtera Plan 2030 as a framework for state economic and social development [1].

Political positions

As Menteri Besar, Saarani has articulated positions on economic development, food security, housing affordability, rare earth resource management, and water governance. He launched the Perak Food Security Action Plan 2022–2030 to reduce the state's dependence on food imports and improve income for farmers and breeders [1]. On housing, he has indicated readiness to review the income eligibility threshold for low-cost housing applicants to expand access for the B40 group, noting that Perak's large land bank allows flexibility in building low-cost and affordable homes [1]. On rare earth mining, he has stated that the state government intends to continue extraction in areas that have obtained Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval, and has highlighted royalties from rare earth carbonate exports as a growing revenue stream for the state [3]. On state governance, he positioned Perak as an emerging TVET corridor and emphasised sound financial management, with the state recording its highest-ever revenue of RM1.3 billion in 2024 [3]. On stability, he publicly assured investors and businesses that the Perak government would remain stable following the 2023 six-state elections [4].

References

Education

1982Completed a Diploma in Science and Education (Physics and Mathematics) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and began his career as a teacher.⛓
Later yearsObtained a Bachelor's Degree with Honours in Human Resource Management from Open University Malaysia (OUM).⛓

Before politics

1982Began career as a teacher after graduating from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.⛓

Political career

1989Joined UMNO.⛓
November 1999First elected to the Perak State Legislative Assembly as MLA for Lenggong.⛓
March 2004Elected MLA for Kota Tampan; appointed as member of the Perak State Executive Council (EXCO) under Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali.⛓
February 2009Re-appointed to the Perak EXCO following the restoration of BN administration under Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.⛓
August 2018Appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Perak State Assembly after BN lost the state in GE14.⛓
March 2020Appointed to the Perak EXCO under Perikatan Nasional administration led by Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu.⛓
10 December 2020Sworn in as 14th Menteri Besar of Perak before Sultan Nazrin Shah at Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar, following Ahmad Faizal Azumu's removal via a no-confidence vote.⛓
21 November 2022Re-appointed as Menteri Besar of Perak following the 2022 state election (GE15), leading a BN-PH unity government after no coalition obtained a majority on its own.⛓

Election history

2022Kota TampanWon⛓
2018Kota TampanWon⛓
2013Kota TampanWon⛓
2008Kota TampanWon⛓
2004Kota TampanWon⛓
1999Lenggong (State)Won⛓

Stance evolution

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

2023UMNO
- We have nothing to hide and (this) is subject to investigations.
  Said to reporters regarding the MACC investigation into a report on Malay reserve land management in Perak. · Source
- So we don't have any connection with other states.
  Said at a press conference responding to questions about whether the six-state election results in August 2023 would affect the stability of the Perak unity government. · Source
2022UMNO
- His Royal Highness was satisfied with what was presented by the representatives from BN and PH who only named one candidate as Menteri Besar, Kota Tampan (assemblyman) Datuk Seri Saarani.
  Statement by Perak Dewan Negara member Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini to reporters outside Istana Kinta after Sultan Nazrin Shah gave consent to Saarani's appointment as Menteri Besar post-GE15. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

GovernmentBernama, citing official state records, reported that Perak achieved its highest-ever state revenue of RM1.3 billion in 2024 under Saarani's administration, and received recognition with the Auditor-General's Certificate of Unqualified Approval for 2023 financial statements, placing Perak among the five best-governed states financially.⛓
OppositionPerak Opposition leader Razman Zakaria (PN-PAS) lodged a report with the MACC in June 2023 over Malay reserve land management in the state, alleging land had been divided into lots and sold to non-Malays; Saarani stated he had no objection to MACC investigations and that the state had nothing to hide.⛓
VerifiedFactsBernama confirmed that in the 2022 Perak state election, no single coalition secured a majority — PN won 26 seats, PH 24 and BN 9 — and that Saarani was re-appointed as MB after BN and PH agreed to form a unity government with combined support of 33 seats in the 59-member assembly.⛓
IndustrySaarani publicly assured businesses and investors in August 2023 that the Perak government would remain stable and that changes in other states would not affect Perak, encouraging continued investment in the state.⛓

Sources

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