Zakri Hassan

Summary

Zakri bin Hassan is the BERSATU Member of Parliament for Kangar, Perlis, elected in GE15 (November 2022) with a majority of 9,192 votes as part of PN's historic sweep of all three Perlis parliamentary seats. A former school teacher and dormitory warden, he has focused his parliamentary activity primarily on education policy, advocating for religious schools and Malay-language instruction. In May 2026, Bersatu's Disciplinary Board issued him a formal warning notice in the context of internal party disciplinary action linked to the Hamzah Zainudin faction.

Biography

Zakri bin Hassan is a Malaysian politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Kangar (P002), Perlis, since November 2022 [1]. He is a member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a school dormitory warden and teacher [1][2]. He was fielded as the PN-BERSATU candidate for Kangar in the 15th General Election (GE15), held on 19 November 2022, and won the seat with a majority of 9,192 votes, defeating BN's Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya [3]. His victory was part of PN's sweep of all three parliamentary seats in Perlis, ending 65 years of BN dominance in the state [4]. He is listed on the official Parliament of Malaysia portal as YB Tuan Zakri bin Hassan, representing constituency P002 Kangar under the PN coalition [5]. In parliament, he has been active on education policy, including debates on the 13th Malaysia Plan and the Supply Bill 2026, consistently calling for greater emphasis on religious education and the Malay language [2]. He is also a member of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development [6]. In May 2026, Bersatu's Disciplinary Board issued a formal warning notice to Zakri Hassan, among three MPs found to have breached the party's constitution and code of ethics and conduct, in the context of internal party disciplinary proceedings connected to the Hamzah Zainudin faction [7][2].

Known for

Zakri Hassan is known primarily for his advocacy on education policy in the Dewan Rakyat, particularly his calls for the government to build more religious schools and strengthen Islamic curriculum in national schools [2]. He is also associated with PN's historic takeover of all parliamentary and most state seats in Perlis in GE15 2022, representing BERSATU in a state previously dominated by BN [4]. Within BERSATU's internal politics, he has been identified as among MPs aligned with the Hamzah Zainudin faction during the party's 2025–2026 internal divisions, receiving a formal party disciplinary warning in May 2026 [7].

Political positions

Zakri Hassan has consistently raised education issues in the Dewan Rakyat. He has urged the government to construct more religious schools, citing state education department data showing religious schools in Perlis ranked among the top performers in SPM examinations [2]. He has also called on the Ministry of Education to expand religious curriculum in schools to address social issues among students, and cautioned against over-prioritising technology at the expense of spiritual and humanities education during the 2026 Supply Bill debate [2]. He has also questioned why Bahasa Melayu was not elevated as a core subject in the 13th Malaysia Plan, arguing this reflected undue preference for English [2]. Drawing on his background as a former school dormitory warden, he has advocated for improved conditions and reduced workload for hostel wardens [2]. In July 2026, he raised concerns in parliament about the safety and comfort of motorcyclists under the Smart Lanes implementation on the North-South Expressway [8]. As a member of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development, he participated in the committee's presentation of proposals for a Gender Parity in Political Representation Bill requiring at least 30 per cent women candidates [6].

Before politics

1. Pre-2022Worked as a school teacher and school dormitory warden prior to entering politics.⛓

Political career

1. November 2022Fielded as the PN-BERSATU candidate for Kangar (P002) in GE15. Won the seat with a majority of 9,192 votes, defeating BN's Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, as part of PN's sweep of all three Perlis parliamentary seats.⛓
2. August 2025Called on the government in the Dewan Rakyat to build more religious schools, citing their academic performance relative to national schools, during debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan.⛓
3. October 2025During the Supply Bill 2026 debate in the Dewan Rakyat, urged the Ministry of Education to expand religious curriculum and warned against over-prioritising technology at the expense of humanities and religious education.⛓
4. November 2025Attended a meeting of Bersatu MPs at Muhyiddin Yassin's home, where MPs reiterated support for the party president amid internal factional tensions.⛓
5. May 2026Bersatu's Disciplinary Board issued a formal warning notice to Zakri Hassan (alongside two other MPs), after finding he had breached the party's constitution and code of ethics and conduct, in the context of internal party disciplinary proceedings linked to the Hamzah Zainudin faction.⛓
6. June 2026As a member of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development, participated in presenting the committee's proposals for a Gender Parity in Political Representation Bill, including a 30 per cent quota for women candidates.⛓

Election history

• 2022Kangar (P002)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsZakri Hassan won the Kangar parliamentary seat in GE15 (November 2022) under the PN-BERSATU ticket with a majority of 9,192 votes, and is listed as YB Tuan Zakri bin Hassan (P002, Kangar, PN) on the official Parliament of Malaysia members portal.⛓
• GovernmentZakri Hassan sits in the opposition as a PN-BERSATU MP. His parliamentary questions and debates — including on Smart Lanes safety for motorcyclists and the 13th Malaysia Plan — are addressed by government ministers in the Dewan Rakyat.⛓
• OppositionFreemalaysiatoday reported that Zakri Hassan was among MPs aligned with former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin during the party's 2026 internal divisions, having co-signed or been associated with the Hamzah faction, and subsequently receiving a formal disciplinary warning from Bersatu's Disciplinary Board in May 2026.⛓
• ExpertEducation activist Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, chairperson of the Parent Action Group for Education, responded to Zakri's calls for more religious schools by noting that over-concentration on one type of school could limit students' exposure to broader worldviews, and that academic outcomes depend on teaching quality, resources, and curriculum rather than school type alone.⛓