Yang Berbahagia Dato' Seri
Ahmad Said
SSMZ DPMT
أحمد سعيد
13th Menteri Besar of Terengganu
In office
25 March 2008 – 12 May 2014
MonarchMizan Zainal Abidin
Preceded byIdris Jusoh
Succeeded byAhmad Razif Abdul Rahman
ConstituencyKijal
Leader of the Opposition of Terengganu
In office
21 March 2019 – 12 August 2023
MonarchMizan Zainal Abidin
Menteri BesarAhmad Samsuri Mokhtar
Preceded byAhmad Razif Abdul Rahman
ConstituencyKijal
Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly
for Kijal
In office
21 March 2004 – 12 August 2023
Preceded byMehamed Sulong (PAS)
Succeeded byRazali Idris
(PN–BERSATU)
Majority3,496 (2004)
3,157 (2008)
4,204 (2013)
1,265 (2018)
In office
21 October 1990 – 29 November 1999
Preceded byMohd Mohd Min
(BN–UMNO)
Succeeded byMehamed Sulong (PAS)
Majority1,834 (1990)
1,290 (1995)
Exco roles (Terengganu)
1995–1999Chairman of the Housing and Local Government
2004–2008Chairman of the Housing and Local Government
Personal details
Born (1957-02-15) 15 February 1957
Teluk Kalong, Kemaman, Terengganu, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia)
Political partyUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
SpouseNorliza Mahmud
Children8
Alma materUniversiti Sains Malaysia

Ahmad Said (born 15 February 1957) is a Malaysian politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition of Terengganu from March 2019 to August 2023, Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kijal from October 1990 to November 1999 and again from March 2004 to August 2023, 13th Menteri Besar of Terengganu from March 2008 to May 2013 and Member of the Terengganu State Executive Council (EXCO) from 1995 to his promotion to the Menteri Besarship in March 2008. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. He is also the State Chairman of BN and UMNO of Terengganu and Division Chief of Kemaman of UMNO.

Profile

Ahmad Said is a political science graduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia and was firstly elected as an assemblyman in 1990, at the young age of only 33 years old. He has eight children as a result of his polygamous marriage with two women and each of his two wives live one kilometer apart from his own residence.[1]

Menteri Besar of Terengganu

Following the 2008 Malaysian general election, Barisan Nasional won a majority in the Terengganu state election with 24 out of 32 state seats, with the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) winning the remaining eight seats.

In the formation of the new Terengganu state government, the federal government under the then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi put forth the reappointment of Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to a second term as Menteri Besar. Abdullah claimed Idris received full support of 23 of the 24 Barisan Nasional state assemblymen elected.[2]

In what political analysts described as a possible constitutional crisis, trouble began to precipitate after the Sultan of Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who was also then Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia, refused to re-appoint and swear in Idris as Menteri Besar.[3] Similar problems occurred in the state of Perlis where the PM's choice was also rejected and eventually the PM had to give in to the Raja of Perlis.[4]

On 22 March 2008, the office of the Sultan of Terengganu announced the appointment of the Kijal assemblyman Ahmad Said instead of Idris Jusoh.[5]

The prime minister responded by saying that the appointment of Ahmad Said was "unconstitutional" as it went against the wishes of the assemblymen and the prime Minister's office who have supported Idris Jusoh's candidacy for Menteri Besar.[6] The 22 other assemblymen had also pledged their support toward the appointment of Idris Jusoh according to the then deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak.[7]

In spite of threats to strip Ahmad Said of his UMNO membership "for disobeying the leadership", he went to the office in Wisma Darul Iman to begin the first day of his new appointment on 25 March 2008. Ahmad Said was subsequently stripped of his UMNO membership.[8] This technically disqualified him from representing the state UMNO and therefore commanding the majority in the legislative assembly to be appointed as Menteri Besar in the first place.[8]

The ruling party also planned to vote down the Sultan's choice through a motion of no-confidence by 22 UMNO state assemblymen. The opposition party Parti Islam SeMalaysia in the meantime promised that its assemblymen would support Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar.[9]

On 26 March 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin met at Istana Negara to resolve the impasse.[10] The prime minister reversed his stance and decided to accept the king's appointment of Ahmad Said as Menteri Besar of Terengganu.[11][12] He also apologised to the king for the public spat over the appointment of the Menteri Besar, explaining that there was no intention to disparage or humiliate the royal household. The apparent backdown was due to a threat that the royal household would be prepared to dissolve the state assembly if the motion of no-confidence was initiated against Ahmad Said, which would trigger another election in what iwas already a climate of discontent towards the ruling party and the possibility of dissenting assemblymen defecting to the opposition.[13][11]

The UMNO Supreme Council proceeded to endorse Ahmad Said as the new Menteri Besar of Terengganu. With the resolution of the impasse, Ahmad Said expressed his gratitude over his appointment and paid tribute to Idris an old friend he has known since their university days, for the contributions that he has done for the Terengganu people so far and to seek his advice. After the swearing-in ceremony, he also expressed hope in moving on to discharge his responsibility to the people and eradicate poverty within the state.[14]

He resigned as Menteri Besar on 12 May 2013, making way for Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman, an assemblyman from Seberang Takir to take over his position.[15] This was made as an agreement with the prime minister, Najib Razak that he would step down during second term in order to give way to a younger politician or a capable leader.[16] He, however, did not step down without another controversy (or crisis during his appointment). He and Ajil assemblyman, Ghazali Taib followed by Bukit Besi assemblyman, Roslee Daud,[17] left UMNO, the ruling party in Terengganu and caused the state to have a minority ruling government Barisan Nasional (14 state assemblymen) and a majority opposition Pakatan Rakyat (15 state assemblymen) with three independent assemblymen for the first time in Malaysia's history.[18] This is because he felt slighted when Najib Razak rejected his proposal to resign after his daughter's wedding reception.[19] However, all three then revoked their decision and returned to UMNO.[20] He later pledged to give his full support to the new MB.[21] He then too attempted a no-confidence motion against his successor during a 2015 Terengganu state assembly meeting but failed.

Post-GE 14

He remained in the Kijal state seat at the 14th general election and won against PAS and PH candidates with a majority of 1265 votes. He won the Kemaman UMNO division chief in the 2018 party elections but lost in his UMNO vice-presidency. He was re-appointed Terengganu UMNO liaison chairman to replace Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid on 11 January 2019.[22]

Election results

Terengganu State Legislative Assembly
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2004 N30 Kijal Ahmad Said (UMNO) 7,987 64.01% Mohamad Sulong (PAS) 4,491 35.99% 12,620 3,496 89.11%
2008 Ahmad Said (UMNO) 8,169 61.98% Hazri Jusoh (PAS) 5,012 38.02% 13,386 3,157 85.98%
2013 Ahmad Said (UMNO) 10,574 62.41% Hazri Jusoh (PAS) 6,370 37.59% 17,137 4,204 87.01%
2018 Ahmad Said (UMNO) 9,545 49.46% Hazri Jusoh (PAS) 8,280 42.91% 19,652 1,265 87.03%
Wan Marzuki (BERSATU) 1,472 7.63%
2023 Ahmad Said (UMNO) 9,645 41.85% Razali Idris (BERSATU) 13,403 58.15% 23,048 3,758 78.15%
Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2022 P040 Kemaman Ahmad Said (UMNO) 38,535 34.07% Che Alias Hamid (PAS) 65,714 58.11% 114,553 27,179 81.12%
Hasuni Sudin (PKR) 8,340 7.37%
Rosli Abd Ghani (PEJUANG) 506 0.45%

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Tan, Joceline (11 November 2011). "MB fights back to hold on to seat". The Star. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  2. ↑ "23 Terengganu Assemblymen Pledge Support For Idris Jusoh". Bernama. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  3. ↑ Carolyn Hong (25 March 2008). "State tussle, national crisis?". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  4. ↑ "Malaysian king, prime minister in conflict over appointment as constitutional crisis looms". International Herald Tribune. Associated Press. 24 March 2008. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  5. ↑ "Malaysia: The MB For Terengganu Finally Appointed". Sin Chew. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  6. ↑ "Terengganu MB Appointment Unconstitutional, Says Abdullah". Bernama. Archived from the original on 27 January 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
    - "PM: Appointing anyone else is against Constitution". The Star. 24 March 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  7. ↑ "23 Terengganu Assemblymen Pledge Support For Idris Jusoh, Says Najib". Bernama. 24 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  8. 1 2 R.S.N. Murali (23 March 2008). "Sultan's choice of MB stripped of Umno membership". The Star. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  9. ↑ "PKR lodges report against Umno leaders and reps". The Star. 25 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  10. ↑ "PM to see King over MB issue". The Star (Malaysia). 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  11. 1 2 "Ahmad Said stays Mentri Besar". Malaysia Insider. 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  12. ↑ "Ahmad Said sworn in as Terengganu MB". The Star (Malaysia). 30 March 2008. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  13. ↑ S Jaysankaran (25 March 2008). "Abdullah in sticky situation in Terengganu". The Business Times. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  14. ↑ "New Terengganu Menteri Besar Pays Tribute To Idris". Bernama. 30 March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
    - Rosli Zakaria (30 March 2008). "Now we close ranks and work for the people". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  15. ↑ "Ahmad Said quits as Terengganu MB". Malay Mail. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
    - "Ahmad resigns, Razif appointed new MB". Malaysiakini. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Ahmad Said Had Agreed To Being Replaced A Year Ago, Umno Veep Says". Malaysian Digest. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ↑ "Roslee Daud quits UMNO to become independent". Astro Awani. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  18. ↑ "Terengganu deadlock as Ahmad Said quits Umno hours after resigning as MB". The Malaysian Insider. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017 – via Yahoo! News.
    - Zulkifili Sulong (13 May 2014). "BN no longer majority in Terengganu after third state rep quits Umno". The Malaysian Insider. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "In Umno exit, ex-MB says only wanted to step down after daughter's wedding". The Malaya Mail. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  20. ↑ "Ahmad Said and PM say sorry to each other over 'misunderstanding'". The Malaya Mail. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "Ahmad Said pledges support to new MB". The Rakyat Post. 14 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  22. ↑ "Ahmad Said appointed Terengganu Umno chairman". The Sun Daily. 11 January 2019.
  23. 1 2 "SEMAKAN PENERIMA DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT". Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
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