Zameri Mat Nawang

Summary

Zameri Mat Nawang is a PAS lawyer-politician serving as State Assemblyman (ADUN) for Jelawat (N22), Kelantan, elected in August 2023 as a first-term member under the Perikatan Nasional coalition. He holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage, and has been active in the state assembly on issues of syariah court reform, underage marriage procedure, and cross-border livelihood policy along Sungai Golok.

Biography

Zameri Mat Nawang is a lawyer and Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) representing the Jelawat state constituency (N22) in Kelantan under Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. He was elected for the first time in the Kelantan State Election held on 12 August 2023, having been named as a new candidate (muka baharu) on 27 July 2023 [1]. Bernama reported that he was one of five new candidates from the legal profession fielded by PN Kelantan for that election, reflecting a deliberate strategy to bring professional expertise into the state assembly [1]. He is popularly known by the moniker 'Loyar Zameri', a reference to his legal background [2]. He won DUN Jelawat with 16,885 votes (42.2%), a majority of 9,608 over BN-UMNO's Yusri Che Noh, from a registered voter base of 40,012 [2]. Following PAS's retention of the Kelantan state government, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage [3]. In the DUN, he has actively raised questions on syariah court administration reform, underage marriage proceedings, and cross-border economic activity along the Sungai Golok [3][4][5]. The Jelawat constituency is situated in Bachok district and has been contested since 1974 [6].

Known for

Zameri Mat Nawang is known as one of five legal professionals newly fielded by PAS/PN in the 2023 Kelantan State Election, signalling a push to bring professional expertise into the state legislature [1][7]. In the DUN, he has been a consistent voice on syariah court reform and on border-community livelihoods along the Malaysia-Thailand frontier at Sungai Golok [3][4]. He serves as Deputy Chairman of the Kelantan State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee [3][7].

Political positions

Based on his documented DUN interventions, Zameri Mat Nawang has shown a focus on syariah judicial reform, advocating for expanded appeal pathways within the Kelantan syariah court system to bring it on par with civil courts [4][5][8]. He has raised questions regarding underage marriage procedures in Kelantan, probing the state's procedural standards under the Islamic Family Law Enactment [3]. On cross-border economic issues, he proposed that illegal river-crossing points along the Sungai Golok be formalised as legal crossing points (ICQS) to protect the livelihoods of residents affected by enforcement crackdowns [3]. In his capacity as Deputy Chairman of the Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee, he has publicly supported efforts to develop Kelantan's tourism sector, including welcoming new air routes to Sultan Ismail Petra Airport during Tahun Melawat Kelantan 2024 [7].

Before politics

1. Pre-2023Practised as a lawyer, acquiring the popular moniker 'Loyar Zameri'. Identified by Bernama as one of five new legal-professional candidates fielded by PN Kelantan for the 2023 state election.⛓

Political career

1. 27 July 2023Named as PN/PAS candidate for DUN Jelawat (N22) in the upcoming Kelantan State Election, announced on 27 July 2023.⛓
2. 12 August 2023Won the DUN Jelawat seat in the 2023 Kelantan State Election under PAS/PN with 16,885 votes (42.2%), a majority of 9,608 over BN-UMNO's Yusri Che Noh.⛓
3. August 2023Appointed Deputy Chairman of the Kelantan State Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage (Jawatankuasa Pelancongan, Kebudayaan, Kesenian dan Warisan) following PAS's retention of state government.⛓
4. November 2023Raised a question in the Kelantan DUN on underage marriage procedures and state compliance, prompting a response from the state Islamic development committee chairman.⛓
5. 4 June 2024Raised a question in the Kelantan DUN on the drafting of a new Syariah Court Administration Bill, prompting a public update from the state exco on the reform's progress.⛓
6. October 2024In his capacity as Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Committee, commented publicly on Batik Air's new route to Sultan Ismail Petra Airport as a boost to Kelantan tourism during Tahun Melawat Kelantan 2024.⛓
7. November 2025During debate on Kelantan Budget 2026, proposed that illegal river-crossing points (pangkalan haram) demolished along Sungai Golok be formalised as legal ICQS crossing points to protect affected border residents' livelihoods.⛓
8. 21 April 2026Raised a question in the Kelantan DUN on the proposed four-tier syariah court system revamp, prompting a state exco update on the ongoing reform study.⛓

Election history

• 2023Jelawat (N22), KelantanWon42.2%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• VerifiedFactsZameri Mat Nawang won DUN Jelawat in the 2023 Kelantan State Election with 42.2% of votes cast (16,885 votes), a majority of 9,608, on a registered voter base of 40,012. He was a first-time candidate and one of five new legal professionals fielded by PN Kelantan.⛓
• GovernmentThe PAS-led Kelantan state government appointed Zameri as Deputy Chairman of the state Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee after the 2023 election, reflecting his integration into the governing coalition's committee structure.⛓
• AffectedA community management committee in Jelawat reported consulting Zameri Mat Nawang on creating an eco-tourism community park (Se Indah Park), citing his engagement with local recreational and tourism development needs in the constituency.⛓