Zaharudin Zahid

Summary

Zaharudin bin Zahid is the PAS State Assemblyman for Bukit Tunggal (N12) in Terengganu, elected in the 2023 state election under the PN banner with 57.3% of the vote. He is the son-in-law of PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang and serves as Yang Dipertua of PAS Sungai Buloh division, while being a former member of both the PAS Central Committee and Majlis Syura Ulama. He is publicly active on questions of PAS internal strategy and PN coalition leadership dynamics.

Biography

Zaharudin bin Zahid is a Malaysian politician and member of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) serving as the State Assemblyman (ADUN) for the N12 Bukit Tunggal constituency in Terengganu since August 2023 [1]. He contested under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner in the 2023 Terengganu State Election, winning with 57.3% of votes cast — a majority of 7,721 votes — in a three-cornered race [2]. He is the son-in-law of PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, a connection that has drawn consistent media attention to his public commentary [3]. He also holds the position of Yang Dipertua (Division Chief) of PAS Sungai Buloh in Selangor, a role he has retained, most recently winning uncontested in 2025 [3]. He is a former member of the PAS Central Committee (Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat) and the Majlis Syura Ulama, though he has reportedly stepped back from contesting internal party elections since 2017 or 2018 [3]. Bukit Tunggal is a state constituency in Terengganu first contested in 1974, falling under the Kuala Nerus district [4]. The 2023 Terengganu state election saw PN, led by PAS, win all 32 seats — the first clean sweep in the state's history since 1978 — leaving no opposition representative in the state assembly [4]. Zaharudin is known publicly for his outspoken social media commentary on PAS internal strategy and coalition politics within PN.

Known for

Zaharudin Zahid is known as the Bukit Tunggal ADUN and son-in-law of PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang, giving him a prominent position in discussions of PAS internal affairs and PN coalition strategy [3][5]. He drew national attention in 2025–2026 for publicly warning that PAS risks losing up to 37 parliamentary seats if Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar were appointed PN chairman [6][3]. He is also a former member of the PAS Central Committee and Majlis Syura Ulama, and an active commentator on party discipline and ideological direction [3].

Political positions

Zaharudin has publicly expressed support for PAS's Islamic governance agenda and has been critical of internal party actors he perceives as undermining the party's direction, referring to them using the term 'jebon' — a label applied to those he regards as disloyal to PAS's core mission [3]. On coalition leadership, he has consistently favoured senior PAS figures such as Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man or Idris Ahmad as preferred candidates for the position of Prime Minister from within PAS's ranks, while expressing reservations about Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar's electoral viability as PN chairman [5][3]. Malaysiakini reported that he has also weighed in on PN's opposition leadership in Parliament, expressing preference for Ahmad Samsuri as Leader of the Opposition for reasons of operational coherence between PN's parliamentary and coalition functions [3]. On civic issues, Sinar Harian reported that he was involved in a resident eviction protest in Kampung Sungai Baru, Kuala Lumpur in September 2025, where he stated his presence was to assist residents during a heavy-rain clearance operation [7].

Political career

1. Pre-2017Served as a member of the PAS Central Committee (Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat) and the Majlis Syura Ulama, holding significant positions within the party's national decision-making structures.⛓
2. 2017 or 2018Withdrew from contesting in PAS Central Committee elections, despite reportedly receiving nearly 100 nominations from across the country, according to his own account reported by Malaysiakini.⛓
3. July 27, 2023Named as PN-PAS candidate for N12 Bukit Tunggal in the 2023 Terengganu State Election, as listed in Bernama's official candidate announcement.⛓
4. August 12, 2023Elected as ADUN for Bukit Tunggal in the 2023 Terengganu State Election, winning with 57.3% of votes (12,066 votes) and a majority of 7,721, as part of PN's historic clean sweep of all 32 Terengganu state seats.⛓
5. September 27, 2023Officially confirmed as ADUN for N12 Bukit Tunggal in the Federal Gazette (Warta Kerajaan) for the 15th Terengganu State Legislative Assembly, published by the Election Commission.⛓
6. June 30, 2025Retained the post of Yang Dipertua (Division Chief) of PAS Sungai Buloh, winning uncontested at the division's annual general meeting, as reported by Malaysiakini.⛓
7. January 2026Publicly warned in social media posts — covered by Berita Harian and Malaysiakini — that PAS risked losing up to 37 parliamentary seats if Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar were appointed PN chairman in place of Muhyiddin Yassin.⛓

Election history

• 2023Bukit Tunggal (N12), TerengganuWon57.3%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsZaharudin bin Zahid won the N12 Bukit Tunggal seat in the 2023 Terengganu state election with 57.3% of the vote (12,066 votes) and a majority of 7,721, under the PN-PAS banner. He is officially gazetted as the Bukit Tunggal ADUN in the 15th Terengganu State Legislative Assembly.⛓
• OppositionMalaysiakini reported that the AMK (Angkatan Muda Keadilan) legal bureau expressed serious concern over what it described as 'misleading and prejudicial' statements by Zaharudin regarding the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme and citizenship pathways, calling his claims contradictory to the Federal Constitution.⛓
• GovernmentSinar Harian reported that Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar — who is also PAS Vice President — dismissed Zaharudin's analysis on PN leadership risks, describing his commentary as 'kelakar' (laughable) and 'not worth it even a single cent to say anything to him.'⛓
• ExpertPAS Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was reported by Malaysiakini to have considered Zaharudin's views on PN coalition leadership to be 'tersasar dari realiti' (off the mark from reality), reflecting internal party disagreement on his strategic assessments.⛓