Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh

Summary

Syed Ibrahim bin Syed Noh is the PKR Member of Parliament for Ledang, Johor, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, and has served as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability since December 2025. He brings a dual background in civil society activism — including leading the anti-ISA coalition GMI and serving as a Bersih vice-president — and a 25-year corporate career at Telekom Malaysia before entering elected office. Within PKR, he has served as Johor state chairman at multiple intervals and is a member of the party's central leadership council.

Biography

Syed Ibrahim bin Syed Noh is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Ledang, Johor, since 2018 [1]. He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan coalition [1]. Before entering elected politics, he had a 25-year career at Telekom Malaysia Bhd from 1989 to 2014, with his last position being assistant general manager [2]. He also accumulated a record of civil society activism, serving as chairman of Gerakan Mansuh ISA (GMI), a coalition of NGOs opposed to the Internal Security Act, and as vice-president of electoral reform movement Bersih [1]. He has been associated with IKRAM, an Islamic non-governmental organisation, as an activist [1]. On 10 December 2014, he was appointed PKR information chief [1]. In September 2019 he was appointed Johor PKR state chairman, replacing Hassan Abdul Karim [2]. He was succeeded as Johor PKR chief by Rafizi Ramli ahead of the 2022 general election, then reappointed to the position in May 2024, before being replaced by Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa in July 2025 [3]. Syed Ibrahim won the Ledang seat in GE14 in 2018 with a majority of 8,666 votes and successfully defended it in GE15 in 2022 with a majority of 9,796 votes [4]. In April 2023 he was appointed non-executive chairman of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), effective 1 April 2023 [2]. He also serves as chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) on anti-corruption [5]. On 17 December 2025, he was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability following a cabinet reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim [6].

Known for

Syed Ibrahim is known for his background as a civil society activist, having led the Gerakan Mansuh ISA movement and served as vice-president of Bersih before entering electoral politics [1]. He is the two-term MP for Ledang and has held the role of Johor PKR state chairman at multiple points since 2019 [2]. Since December 2025, he serves as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability in the Madani government [7].

Political positions

Syed Ibrahim has advocated for institutional and legal reforms, including calling for a Freedom of Information Act to strengthen governance and anti-corruption efforts in Malaysia [5]. As APPGM chairman, he has emphasised the importance of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and pushed for clearer timelines on amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Ombudsman Act [5]. In his capacity as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, he has stated that development of the rare earth elements industry must provide tangible, broad-based benefits to local communities and that producing states should not be used merely as mining sites [7]. He has taken a position aligned with Malaysia's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stating it was 'very clear' that Malaysia rejected ethnic cleansing and genocide [8].

Before politics

1. 1989Joined Telekom Malaysia Bhd, beginning a 25-year career in telecommunications.⛓
2. 2014Left Telekom Malaysia Bhd after 25 years, with last position as assistant general manager.⛓

Political career

1. 10 December 2014Appointed as PKR national information chief.⛓
2. May 2018Won the Ledang parliamentary seat in GE14 under the Pakatan Harapan banner, with a majority of 8,666 votes.⛓
3. September 2019Appointed Johor PKR state chairman, replacing Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim.⛓
4. November 2022Successfully defended the Ledang parliamentary seat in GE15, winning with an official majority of 9,796 votes.⛓
5. April 2023Appointed non-executive chairman of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), effective 1 April 2023.⛓
6. May 2024Reappointed as Johor PKR state chairman.⛓
7. July 2025Replaced as Johor PKR state chairman by Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa.⛓
8. 17 December 2025Sworn in as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability following PM Anwar Ibrahim's cabinet reshuffle announced on 16 December 2025.⛓

Election history

• 2022LedangWon⛓
• 2018LedangWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• ExpertAnalysts from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia assessed Syed Ibrahim's replacement as Johor PKR chief in July 2025 as part of a broader realignment, noting that he had been associated with Rafizi Ramli's camp in the PKR internal elections, and that new appointees were seen as more aligned with the party's top leadership.⛓
• GovernmentRafizi Ramli congratulated Syed Ibrahim on his appointment as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability in December 2025, having previously worked alongside him since 2009.⛓
• VerifiedFactsSyed Ibrahim is listed as a member of the Special Select Committee on Security in the Parliament of Malaysia, as published on the official Parliament portal.⛓