Satiful Bahri Mamat

Summary

Datuk Satiful Bahri bin Mamat is a PAS politician from Paka, Terengganu, who has served as State Assemblyman for Paka since 2013 (and also held the seat from 1999 to 2004) and as a Terengganu State EXCO member since 2018, holding the portfolio for Syariah Implementation, Education and Higher Education. A former educator and University of Malaya alumnus, he is a senior figure within PAS Terengganu and has been a key voice on the state's implementation of Islamic law, including championing amendments to the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment in 2022. He was conferred the Dato' title (Darjah Dato' Paduka Mahkota Terengganu) by Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin in August 2022.

Biography

Datuk Satiful Bahri bin Mamat (born 28 October 1967, Kampung Nyior, Paka, Terengganu) is a Malaysian politician and member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) who serves as State Assemblyman (ADUN) for Paka in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly [1]. He has held the Paka state seat since May 2013 and additionally served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from December 1999 to March 2004 [1]. Since May 2018, he has been a member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO), initially appointed as EXCO member in charge of Syariah Implementation, Education and Higher Education under Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar [1]. Following the 2023 Terengganu state election, he continued serving as Chairman of the State Committee for Syariah Implementation, Education, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Human Development [2]. Before entering politics, Satiful Bahri was an educator, having served as a teacher at Sekolah Menengah Cukai, Kemaman (1990–1991) and as a lecturer at the Institut Latihan Perindustrian Petroleum (ILPP), now known as Institut Teknologi Petroleum (INSTEP), from 1992 to 1996. He is also the founder and principal of Markaz Tarbiyyah Islamiyyah Darul Bayan in Paka, Terengganu [3]. He is a University of Malaya alumnus [1] and also served as Terengganu PAS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017 [4]. He was conferred the Darjah Dato' Paduka Mahkota Terengganu by Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin on 14 August 2022 [4].

Known for

Satiful Bahri Mamat is known principally as the Terengganu EXCO member overseeing Syariah law implementation, having championed the 2022 amendments to the state's Syariah Criminal Offences (Punishments) Enactment and publicly stated the state's preparedness to fully implement hudud law should RUU 355 be passed at the federal level [5]. He is also recognised for his long-running representation of the Paka state constituency, having first won the seat in 1999, losing it in 2004 and 2008, then regaining and holding it consecutively since 2013 [1]. As an educator-turned-politician, he has overseen Islamic education initiatives in Terengganu, including the establishment of Sekolah Menengah Islam Darul Iman (SMIDI) and Sekolah Rendah Islam Darul Iman (SRIDI) networks across the state [5].

Political positions

Satiful Bahri Mamat holds conservative Islamic governance positions consistent with PAS ideology. On syariah law, he has publicly stated that Terengganu is prepared to fully implement hudud law if RUU 355 is passed in Parliament, noting that the Syariah Criminal Offences (Hudud and Qisas) Enactment was already gazetted in 2002 and that the state's Syariah courts are ready [5]. He spearheaded the 2022 amendments to the state's Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment, which added new offences including sections related to women acting as men, preparation for sodomy, and childbirth out of wedlock, with penalties maximised at three years' imprisonment, RM5,000 fine, and six strokes of the cane [6]. On education, he has promoted the expansion of Islamic schools under the state government's Darul Iman school network [5]. On public finances, he has linked the state's capacity to raise allowances for Quran teachers to the federal government's payment of outstanding oil royalties to Terengganu [5].

Education

1. Late 1980s–Early 1990sAttended University of Malaya; graduated as an alumnus listed by the university.⛓

Before politics

1. 1990–1991Served as a teacher at Sekolah Menengah Cukai, Kemaman, Terengganu.⛓
2. 1992–1996Worked as a lecturer at Institut Latihan Perindustrian Petroleum (ILPP), now known as Institut Teknologi Petroleum (INSTEP).⛓
3. Pre-1999Founded and served as principal of Markaz Tarbiyyah Islamiyyah Darul Bayan, an Islamic education centre in Pinang Merah, Paka, Terengganu.⛓

Political career

1. November 1999Won the Paka state seat for the first time in the 1999 Terengganu state election, contesting under PAS.⛓
2. March 2004Lost the Paka state seat in the 2004 Terengganu state election.⛓
3. March 2008Contested Paka again in the 2008 Terengganu state election; lost to BN's Mohd Ariffin by a margin of 344 votes.⛓
4. May 2013Regained the Paka state seat in the 2013 Terengganu state election, defeating a BN candidate by a majority of 1,287 votes.⛓
5. 2013–2017Served as Terengganu PAS Commissioner.⛓
6. May 2018Defended the Paka state seat in the 2018 Terengganu state election, winning by a majority of 3,405 votes in a three-cornered contest against BN and PH.⛓
7. 10 May 2018Appointed as Terengganu State EXCO member in charge of Syariah Implementation, Education and Higher Education by Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.⛓
8. November 2018As Paka assemblyman, proposed and successfully moved for the appointment of Zuraida Md Noor as Terengganu's first-ever assemblywoman under Article 27(2) of the Terengganu Constitution.⛓
9. December 2022Tabled and saw passed the Syariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Amendment) Enactment 2022 in the Terengganu DUN, adding new offences including provisions on bomoh practices, women acting as men, and out-of-wedlock pregnancy.⛓
10. August 2023Won the Paka state seat for the fourth time in the 2023 Terengganu state election (PRN15), contesting under the Perikatan Nasional banner as part of PN's clean sweep of all 32 Terengganu seats.⛓
11. September 2023Sworn in as ADUN Paka for the 15th term of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly; continued in the EXCO role under Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.⛓

Election history

• 2023Paka (Terengganu DUN)Won⛓
• 2018Paka (Terengganu DUN)Won⛓
• 2013Paka (Terengganu DUN)Won⛓
• 2008Paka (Terengganu DUN)Lost⛓
• 2004Paka (Terengganu DUN)Lost⛓
• 1999Paka (Terengganu DUN)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs a senior Terengganu EXCO member and Terengganu PAS figure, Satiful Bahri Mamat is aligned with the Perikatan Nasional state government's agenda of strengthening syariah governance. Utusan Malaysia reported him supporting the appointment of the new Terengganu DUN Speaker in September 2023 as part of PN's unanimous 32-seat sweep of the state assembly.⛓
• ExpertThe Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy (CodeBlue) raised concerns that the 2022 Terengganu Syariah Criminal Offences amendments — tabled by Satiful Bahri Mamat — appeared to put healthcare workers in a difficult position by potentially criminalising out-of-wedlock pregnancy presentations, noting that the amendments showed little consideration for the health, protection, or welfare of women and children.⛓
• VerifiedFactsPerikatan Nasional, led by PAS, won all 32 seats in the 2023 Terengganu state election on 12 August 2023, recording the first clean sweep in the state's history since 1978. Satiful Bahri Mamat, as the incumbent ADUN for Paka and PN candidate, was among those returned. He was subsequently sworn in and continued his EXCO role.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

Sinar Harian reported that Satiful Bahri Mamat is listed as Chairman (Pengerusi) of Darul Bayan Development Sdn. Bhd., a company associated with the Markaz Tarbiyyah Islamiyyah Darul Bayan Islamic education centre he founded in Paka, Terengganu (Source: pru.sinarharian.com.my).