Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir

Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (born 16 September 1986), commonly known as Akmal Nasir, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation under Minister Fadillah Yusof since December 2023 and previously served as the Deputy Minister of Local Government Development under Minister Nga Kor Ming from December 2022 to December 2023 in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Johor Bahru since May 2018. He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH coalition and had served as the 4th Youth Chief of PKR from November 2018 to July 2022.

Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir
أَكْمَل نَصْرُٱلله مُحَمَّد نَاصِر
Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation
Assumed office
7 February 2024
MonarchIbrahim Iskandar
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
MinisterFadillah Yusof
Preceded byHimself
(Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation)
ConstituencyJohor Bahru
Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities
In office
12 December 2023 – 7 February 2024
MonarchsAbdullah
(2023–2024)
Ibrahim Iskandar
(January–February 2024)
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
MinisterFadillah Yusof
Preceded byHuang Tiong Sii
(Deputy Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change)
Succeeded byHimself
(Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities)
ConstituencyJohor Bahru
Deputy Minister of Local Government Development
In office
10 December 2022 – 12 December 2023
MonarchAbdullah
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
MinisterNga Kor Ming
Preceded byIsmail Muttalib
(Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government)
Succeeded byAiman Athirah Sabu
ConstituencyJohor Bahru
4th Youth Chief of People's Justice Party
In office
16 November 2018 – 17 July 2022
PresidentAnwar Ibrahim
DeputyMuhammad Hilman Idham
(2018–2020)
Preceded byNik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Succeeded byAdam Adli
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Johor Bahru
Assumed office
9 May 2018
Preceded byShahrir Abdul Samad
(BNUMNO)
Majority19,782 (2018)
16,041 (2022)
Personal details
Born
Akmal Nasrullah bin Mohd Nasir

(1986-09-16) 16 September 1986 (age 38)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Political partyPeople's Justice Party (PKR)
Other political
affiliations
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
EducationBachelor of Actuarial Science and Economy (Double Major)
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
OccupationPolitician
Websiteakmalnasir.my

Education background

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Akmal Nasir received an education from Iskandar National Primary School and Taman Pelangi National School, Johor Bahru. He then continued his education at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) from 1999 to 2003. During his time at MCKK, he had held several associations and received several academic awards. Among them are:

  • SPM Distinguished Student Award 2003.
  • PMR Best Student Award 2001 (Islamic Religion).
  • National Champion of Entrepreneurship Essay Competition
  • Supervisor.
  • President, Fire and Rescue Cadet
  • President, Mathematics Club
  • Expedition climbs Mount Kinabalu, Sabah (up to the summit).
  • Excellent Scholarship Scholarship award after SPM

Upon graduation, he has received a scholarship to continue his education to the United States. In 2004, he took a year to prepare for the International Education College (INTEC) in Shah Alam.

Upon completion of the preparatory course, he continued his bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States for four years (2005-2009). He has completed his studies in Actuarial Science and Economics, and has also received Dean's List awards in his third year of study.

Political career

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Before Akmal Nasir became an MP, he was the founder and director[1] of an NGO called National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW)[2][3] together with Rafizi Ramli. NOW Malaysia is the NGO that was responsible in exposing national financial scandals[4] during the reign of former Prime Minister, Najib Razak. Some of them include alleged corruption[5] in National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) that involved Shahrizat Abdul Jalil[6] and alleged misuse of funds of Malaysian Islamic Economy Development Foundation (YaPEIM).[7]

In the 2018 Malaysian general election, he contested the Johor Bahru parliamentary seat under the ticket of Pakatan Harapan and won[8] a two-way contest against Shahrir Abdul Samad representing Barisan Nasional.[9]

Akmal Nasir had contested the People's Justice Party (PKR) Youth Wing Chief in 2018 party election which he won by securing a narrow victory.[10][11]

Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilies (since 2023)

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In a cabinet reshuffle on 12 December 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change was split into the new Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Public Utilies. Akmal Nasrullah was appointed the Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Public Utilities, deputising for Minister Fadillah. He also described the creation of his ministry as en effort of the government to prioritise renewable energy and expressed his excitement to work with Fadillah.[12]

Controversy

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In May 2019, Akmal Nasir had caused an uproar when he attended an interfaith breaking fast event at a Sikh gurdwara in Johor Bahru during the Ramadan fasting month for Muslim.[13] He was rebuked by the Sultan Ibrahim of Johor for his insensitive action.[14] However, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Religious Affairs, Mujahid Yusof Rawa had clarify that it is not an issue with Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast at a non-Muslim house of worship and Akmal Nasir's attendance as an MP will only help to foster better ties between the races and eliminate Islamophobia.[15]

Election results

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Parliament of Malaysia[16][17]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2018 P160 Johor Bahru Akmal Nasir Mohd Nasir (PKR) 50,052 62.45% Shahrir Abdul Samad (UMNO) 30,270 37.55% 81,645 19,782 80.50%
2022 Akmal Nasir Mohd Nasir (PKR) 43,252 45.82% Johan Ropi (UMNO) 27,211 28.83% 93,162 16,041 69.22%
Mohd Motah Yacob (BERSATU) 22,075 23.38%

References

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  1. ^ Boey, K.C. "Akmal Nasir and the handshake that changed his life". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. ^ "National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  3. ^ Chi, Melissa. "Anti-graft director readies for courtroom brawl with Islamic affairs minister". Malay Mail. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. ^ "NOW Malaysia | Top 5 scandals leaked by informants". Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  5. ^ Grudgings, Stuart. "Cows and condos scandal highlights Malaysia's faded reforms". Reuters. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. ^ "PKR's Rafizi Ramli arrested for exposing NFC banking details". The Malaysian Times. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  7. ^ Shahrudin, Shamira (15 November 2015). "NGO lodges report against alleged misuse of YaPEIM funds". New Straits Times. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  8. ^ Suhaini, Amanina. "PKR sapu bersih Johor Bahru". BH Online. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Profile Ahli Dewan". Portal Rasmi Parlimen Malaysia. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  10. ^ Ibrahim, Nadirah. "Jeers as Rafizi's protege Akmal Nasir announced as new PKR Youth chief". Malay Mail. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  11. ^ Fazaniza, Elly. "Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasir is the new PKR Youth Chief". The Sun Daily. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  12. ^ "New ministry a part of govt's focus on renewable energy, says deputy minister". The Star. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Johor Bahru MP defends decision to buka puasa at gurdwara". Malaysiakini. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Sultan rebukes Johor Bahru MP over 'insensitive' interfaith buka puasa". Malaysiakini. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Mujahid: Breaking fast at non-Muslim houses of worship not wrong". Malaysiakini. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  16. ^ "The Star Online GE14 Johor results". election.thestar.com.my.
  17. ^ "The Star Online GE15 Johor results". election.thestar.com.my.