Zuraida Md Noor

Summary

Zuraida binti Md Noor (PAS) is the elected ADUN for Ladang, Terengganu, and serves as Deputy EXCO Member under the Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity portfolio in the PN state government. She made history in November 2018 as Terengganu's first-ever assemblywoman — appointed via a constitutional provision — before winning the Ladang seat outright in the August 2023 state election. As the only woman in a fully PN-controlled 32-seat assembly, she is the primary legislative voice for women's and family welfare in the state.

Biography

Zuraida binti Md Noor is a Malaysian politician and member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition [1]. She serves as the elected Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for the Ladang constituency since the 15 August 2023 state election [1]. She also holds the position of Deputy Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO), serving under Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar alongside EXCO member Maliaman Kassim, with responsibility under the Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity portfolio [2]. Prior to her 2023 electoral win, Zuraida first entered the state legislature in November 2018 when she was appointed — under Article 27(2) of the Terengganu Constitution — as the first-ever assemblywoman in Terengganu's history, a provision invoked because no woman had been elected to the assembly [3]. At the time of her 2018 appointment she served as Kuala Terengganu PAS Dewan Muslimat secretary and as director of Terengganu Ameerah [3]. Her educational background includes early schooling at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pasir Panjang, Kuala Terengganu, a Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering from the Terengganu Advanced Technical Institute (TATI), and a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from Open University Malaysia [3]. She is a mother of three children [3]. In the 2023 Terengganu state election, PN under the PAS banner won all 32 seats, with Zuraida winning the Ladang seat (N15) as the PN candidate [4].

Known for

Zuraida Md Noor is historically significant as the first woman ever to serve in the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly, initially appointed in 2018 under a constitutional provision rather than through election, before winning the Ladang seat outright in 2023 [3]. She is the sole female assemblyperson in a 32-member chamber where PN holds all seats, and advocates for women's welfare issues within the state government's Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity committee [2]. She has been publicly vocal on Islamic governance in tourism and on increasing women's representation in state executive positions [5].

Political positions

Zuraida has publicly advocated for stricter enforcement of Islamic dress code guidelines for Muslim tourists visiting Terengganu, urging the state government to extend syariah-compliant monitoring to hotels, islands, resorts, entertainment centres, and cinemas [5]. She has spoken in favour of Terengganu's positioning as an international Islamic tourism corridor and has linked tourism development to Islamic propagation goals [5]. On women's political representation, she has expressed the view that women do not need to hold a formal EXCO portfolio to advocate effectively for women's interests, while also stating that there is a need to balance the concentration of power held by male leaders [2]. She has committed to advancing women-specific programmes including the Terengganu Autism Welfare Centre, the Terengganu Women's Policy, and the Terengganu Women's Alliance Council [2].

Education

1. Early yearsReceived early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pasir Panjang, Kuala Terengganu.⛓
2. Pre-2018Obtained a Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering from the Terengganu Advanced Technical Institute (TATI).⛓
3. Pre-2018Earned a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from Open University Malaysia.⛓

Before politics

1. Pre-2018Served as secretary of the Kuala Terengganu PAS Dewan Muslimat and as director of Terengganu Ameerah.⛓

Political career

1. 29 November 2018Appointed as the first-ever assemblywoman in Terengganu's history under Article 27(2) of the Terengganu Constitution, without contesting an election. Her appointment was proposed by Paka assemblyman Satiful Bahri Mamat and accepted unanimously.⛓
2. 28 July 2023Named as PAS candidate for the N15 Ladang seat in the 2023 Terengganu state election.⛓
3. 12 August 2023Won the Ladang (N15) seat in the 2023 Terengganu state election as the PN-PAS candidate, as part of PN's clean sweep of all 32 state seats.⛓
4. August 2023Appointed Deputy Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO) under the Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity portfolio, working under EXCO member Maliaman Kassim.⛓
5. 3 October 2023Urged the Terengganu state government at the State Legislative Assembly sitting to strengthen enforcement of Islamic dress-code tourism guidelines for Muslim tourists across hotels, islands, resorts, and entertainment centres.⛓

Election history

• 2023Ladang (N15), TerengganuWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentMenteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar expressed hope, at the time of Zuraida's 2018 appointment, that she would represent the voice of women in Terengganu, noting the state had never previously had an assemblywoman.⛓
• OppositionFree Malaysia Today reported that critics, including federal Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, questioned why Terengganu's post-2023 election EXCO had no female member, noting that the lone female assemblyperson (Zuraida) was given only a deputy role under a male EXCO member holding the women's portfolio.⛓
• VerifiedFactsIn the 2023 Terengganu state election, PN (under the PAS banner) won all 32 state seats, making Terengganu an assembly with no elected opposition representative. Zuraida is the only woman in the 32-seat chamber.⛓