The 15th Kedah state election was held on 12 August 2023 to elect the State Assembly members of the 15th Kedah State Legislative Assembly, the legislature of the Malaysian state of Kedah.
Kedah is one of the states which did not dissolve simultaneously with Dewan Rakyat on 10 October 2022. It was decided by Perikatan Nasional on 13 October 2022.
The governing Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) won 33 of 36 seats in a landslide, achieving a supermajority in the legislature. The Barisan Nasional (BN) – Pakatan Harapan (PH) electoral pact won the remaining 3 seats, with PH capturing all 3 seats. For the first time in the state's history, BN did not have any representation in the state assembly, allowing PH to take BN's place as the state's main opposition.
Background
Constituencies All 36 constituencies within Kedah, which constitute the Kedah State Legislative Assembly, were contested during the election.
Composition before dissolution
GovernmentOppositionPNPHPEJUANGBN2110221565322PASBERSATUPKRAMANAHDAPPEJUANGUMNO
Timeline The key dates are listed below. DateEvent13 October 2022Perikatan Nasional decides not to dissolve the 14th Kedah State Legislative Assembly.28 June 2023Dissolution of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly.5 July 2023Issue of the Writ of Election29 July 2023Nomination Day29 July–11 August 2023Campaigning Period8–11 August 2023Early Polling Days For Postal, Overseas and Advance Voters 12 August 2023Polling Day
Retiring incumbent(s) The following members of the 14th State Legislative Assembly retired. No.State ConstituencyDeparting MLACoalition (Party)Date confirmedFirst electedReasonN22GurunJohari AbdulPH (PKR)18 December 20222018Appointment as Speaker of Dewan Rakyat.N28Bakar ArangSimon Ooi Tze Min21 July 2023 2013Dropped by party.N35KulimYeo Keng Chuan2018N14Alor MengkuduPhahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi2008N23BelantekMohd Isa Shafie15 June 20231999Died in office.N27Pantai MerdekaAhmad Fadzli Hashim27 July 20232018 Dropped by party.N30BayuAbd Nasir Idris Not contesting state election (Senator).N01Ayer HangatJuhari Bulat26 June 20232018 Not seeking re-election.N21Guar ChempedakKu Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail2008 Not contesting state election (MP for Kubang Pasu).N34LunasAzman Nasrudin2013 Not contesting state election (MP for Padang Serai).N02KuahMohd Firdaus Ahmad2018 Dropped by party.N29SidamRobert Ling Kui Ee2013N19Sungai TiangSuraya YaacobBN (UMNO) 1 July 20232004 Not seeking re-election.N36Bandar BaharuNorsabrina Mohd. Noor 21 July 20232013 Dropped by party.N06JitraMukhriz Mahathir22 July 20232013Incumbent's party not contesting election.N15Anak BukitAmiruddin Hamzah2002
Electoral candidates No.Parliamentary ConstituencyNo.State ConstituencyVotersIncumbent State AssemblymenCoalition (Party)Political coalitions and partiesBarisan Nasional + Pakatan HarapanPerikatan NasionalOther parties/Independent candidatesCandidate namePartyCandidate namePartyCandidate namePartyCandidate namePartyCandidate namePartyP004LangkawiN01Ayer Hangat33,156Juhari BulatHisham Suhaily OthmanUMNOShamsilah SiruBERSATUSafwan HanifINDZulfadli Mohd YusoffINDN02Kuah34,694Mohd Firdaus AhmadMohd Fauzi ChikPKRAhmad Pared MahmudBERSATUMazlan AhmadINDP005JerlunN03Kota Siputeh29,777Salmee SaidPH (AMANAH)Salmee SaidAMANAHMohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul MunirBERSATUAbdul Ramli LatifINDN04Ayer Hitam37,819Azhar IbrahimHayazi AzizanUMNOAzhar IbrahimPASP006Kubang PasuN05Bukit Kayu Hitam46,054Halimaton Shaadiah SaadZainol Abidin MohamadUMNOHalimaton Shaadiah SaadBERSATU N06Jitra63,059Mukhriz MahathirSabrina AhmadPKRHaim Hilman AbdullahPASP007Padang TerapN07Kuala Nerang31,481 Munir @ Mohamad Yusoff ZakariaRizwan Abu BakarAMANAHMunir @ Mohamad Yusoff ZakariaPAS N08Pedu28,606Mohd Radzi Md AminMahdzir KhalidUMNOMohd Radzi Md AminPAS P008Pokok SenaN09Bukit Lada40,729 Salim MahmoodSyed Ali Syed RastanUMNOSalim MahmoodPAS N10Bukit Pinang36,791Wan Romani Wan SalimHazir Mat ZainPKRWan Romani Wan SalimPAS N11Derga37,738Tan Kok YewPH (DAP)Tan Kok YewDAPMuhammad Amri WahabBERSATUNoor Azman BasharonINDP009Alor SetarN12Suka Menanti41,957 Zamri YusufPH (PKR)Zamri YusufPKRDzowahir Ab GhaniBERSATUN13Kota Darul Aman25,829 Teh Swee LeongPH (DAP)Teh Swee LeongDAPChuah See SengGERAKAN N14Alor Mengkudu38,193Phahrolrazi Mohd ZawawiPH (PKR)Mahfuz OmarAMANAHMuhamad Radhi Mat DinPASP010Kuala KedahN15Anak Bukit36,491 Amiruddin HamzahNor Hasita Md. IsaUMNORashidi Abdul RazakPASN16Kubang Rotan50,233Mohd Asmirul Anuar ArisPH (AMANAH)Mohd Asmirul Anuar ArisAMANAHMohd Salleh SaidinBERSATUN17Pengkalan Kundor46,235Ismail SallehPH (AMANAH)Ismail SallehAMANAHMardhiyyah JohariPASP011PendangN18Tokai45,374 Mohd Hayati OthmanZainal Abidin SaadAMANAHMohd Hayati OthmanPAS N19Sungai Tiang49,414Suraya YaacobBN (UMNO)Mohamad Fadzil ZolkipliUMNOAbdul Razak KhamisBERSATUP012JeraiN20Sungai Limau34,283 Mohd Azam Abd SamatSiti Balkhis HusainAMANAHMohd Azam Abd SamatPAS N21Guar Chempedak30,085Ku Abdul Rahman Ku IsmailAbdul Paris Abdul HamidUMNOAbdul Ghafar SaadBERSATU Ku Abdul Halim Ku IsmailINDN22Gurun40,941 VacantJohari Abdul contested and won the seat in the 2018 Kedah state election as a Pakatan Harapan (PKR) candidate, and announced he resigned his state seat on 18 December 2022. He was also the Opposition Leader from 31 October 2022 to his resignation date.Mohammed Firdaus JohariPKRBaddrol BakhtiarPAS P013SikN23Belantek28,165VacantMazli SaipiAMANAHAhmad SulaimanPAS N24Jeneri35,097Muhammad Sanusi Md NorMuhamad Khizri Abu KassimUMNOMuhammad Sanusi Md NorPAS P014MerbokN25Bukit Selambau79,518 Summugam RengasamyPH (PKR)Summugam RengasamyPKRAzizan HamzahPAS Dinesh MuniandyINDN26Tanjong Dawai54,629Hanif GhazaliShaiful Hazizy Zainol AbidinUMNOHanif GhazaliPAS P015Sungai PetaniN27Pantai Merdeka51,502 Ahmad Fadzli HashimWan Mohalina Wan MohamadUMNOShahrir LongPAS N28Bakar Arang57,867Simon Ooi Tze MinPH (PKR)Adam Loh Wee ChaiPKRTai Kuang TeeGERAKANTan Kee ChyePRMN29Sidam60,983 Robert Ling Kui EeBau Wong Bau EkPKRJuliana Abdul GhaniBERSATU P016BalingN30Bayu47,613 Abd Nasir IdrisIshak MatUMNOMohd Taufik YaacobBERSATUN31Kupang42,720Najmi AhmadMuhammad Suhaimi HamzahAMANAHNajmi AhmadPAS N32Kuala Ketil42,184Mansor ZakariaSuriati Che MidUMNOMansor ZakariaPAS P017Padang SeraiN33Merbau Pulas53,323 Siti Ashah GhazaliAsmadi Abu TalibUMNOSiti Ashah GhazaliPAS N34Lunas82,212 Azman NasrudinShamsul Anuar AbdullahPKRKhairul Anuar RamliBERSATU Rajendaran NadarajanINDPannir Selvam S SuppiahINDArichindarem SinappayenINDP018Kulim-Bandar BaharuN35Kulim54,169Yeo Keng ChuanPH (PKR)Teh Lean OngPKRWong Chia ZhenGERAKAN N36Bandar Baharu36,164Norsabrina Mohd. NoorBN (UMNO)Nuraini YusoffUMNOMohd Suffian YusoffPAS
Opinion polls Polling firm Dates conductedSample sizePH+BNPNOthLeadRefIlham Centre29 July – 8 August 20232,30424%69%7%PN +45%
Results
By parliamentary constituency PN won all parliamentary constituency by average percentages. No.ConstituencyPakatan Harapan + Barisan NasionalPerikatan NasionalMember of Parliament23.37%55.46%20.49%78.89%25.62%74.38%26.44%73.56%26.51%73.21%41.30%58.70%30.48%69.52%21.48%78.52%25.99%73.79%19.18%80.82%32.30%67.31%42.24%57.64%Mohammed Taufiq Johari24.22%75.78%34.52%64.79%35.34%64.66%
Seats that changed allegiance No. Seat Previous Party (2018) Current Party (2023) N01 Ayer Hangat Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N02 Kuah Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N03 Kota Siputeh Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N05 Bukit Kayu Hitam Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N06 Jitra Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N11 Derga Pakatan Harapan (DAP) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N12 Suka Menanti Pakatan Harapan (PKR) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N14 Alor Mengkudu Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N15 Anak Bukit Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N16 Kubang Rotan Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N17 Pengkalan Kundor Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N19 Sungai Tiang Barisan Nasional (UMNO) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N21 Guar Chempedak Barisan Nasional (UMNO) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N22 Gurun Pakatan Harapan (PKR) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N25 Bukit Selambau Pakatan Harapan (PKR) Perikatan Nasional (PAS) N30 Bayu PAS Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N34 Lunas Pakatan Harapan (PKR) Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) N35 Kulim Pakatan Harapan (PKR) Perikatan Nasional (GERAKAN) N36 Bandar Baharu Barisan Nasional (UMNO) Perikatan Nasional (PAS)
Aftermath Mohd Sanusi were sworn in as Menteri Besar for his second term in front of Sultan of Kedah on 14 August 2023. Ten EXCO members were sworn in on 21 August.
MLA for Sidam, Bau Wong Bau Ek from PH-PKR were appointed as Opposition Leader on 26 November.
Notes
References