# Menteri Besar of Kelantan

The Menteri Besar of Kelantan or Chief Minister of Kelantan is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. According to convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the largest party or coalition in the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly.
The 19th Menteri Besar of Kelantan has been Mohd Nassuruddin Daud since 15 August 2023.

## Appointment

According to the state constitution, the Sultan of Kelantan shall first appoint the Menteri Besar to preside over the Executive Council and requires such Menteri Besar to be a member of the Legislative Assembly who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly, must be an ethnic Malay who professes the religion of Islam and must not a Malaysian citizen by naturalisation or by registration. The Sultan on the Menteri Besar's advice shall appoint not more than ten nor less than four members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly.
The member of the Executive Council must take and subscribe in the presence of the Sultan the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy before they can exercise the functions of office. The Executive Council shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. The members of the Executive Council shall not hold any office of profit and engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause conflict of interest.
If a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly, or the Legislative Assembly passes a vote of "no confidence" in the government, the Menteri Besar is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Sultan's choice of replacement Menteri Besar will be dictated by the circumstances. A member of the Executive Council other than the Menteri Besar shall hold office during the pleasure of the Sultan, unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Sultan on the advice of the Menteri Besar but may at any time resign his office.
Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeated in an election or the death of the Menteri Besar, the Sultan will generally appoint as Menteri Besar the person voted by the governing party as their new leader.

## Powers

The power of the Menteri Besar is subject to a number of limitations. Menteri Besar removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly, must advise a state election or resign the office or be dismissed by the Sultan. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Legislative Assembly, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.
The Menteri Besar's party will normally have a majority in the Legislative Assembly and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Kelantan politics, so passage of the government's legislation through the Legislative Assembly is mostly a formality.

## Caretaker Menteri Besar

The legislative assembly unless sooner dissolved by the Sultan with His Majesty's own discretion on the advice of the Menteri Besar shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. The state constitution permits a delay of 60 days of general election to be held from the date of dissolution and the legislative assembly shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one legislative assembly and the convening of the next, the Menteri Besar and the executive council remain in office in a caretaker capacity.

## List of Menteris Besar of Kelantan

The following is the list of Menteris Besar of Kelantan since 1775:
Colour key (for political parties):  UMNO  Parti Negara  Alliance /  Barisan Nasional  PMIP/PAS  APU  BA  PR  GS  PN
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| 1 | | Long Abdul Ghafar | 1775 | 1794 | | | None | – | – |
| 2 | | Wan Mahmud Wan Ibrahim | 1800 | 1835 | | | None | – | – |
| 3 | | Tuan Besar Raja Muda Ismail | 1835 | 1839 | | | None | – | – |
| 4 | | Long Zainal Abidin Long Abdul Ghafar | 1839 | 1851 | | | None | – | – |
| 5 | | Nik Abdul Majid Nik Yusoff | 1851 | 1885 | | | None | – | – |
| 6 | | Nik Yusof Nik Abdul Majid | 1886 | 1890 | | | None | – | – |
| 7 | | Saad Ngah | 1890 | 1894 | | | None | – | – |
| 8 | | Nik Yusof Nik Abdul Majid | 1894 | 1900 | | | None | – | – |
| 9 | | Hassan Mohd Salleh | 1900 | 1920 | | | None | – | – |
| 10 | | Nik Mahmud Nik Ismail | 30 April 1921 | 27 December 1944 | 23 years, 242 days | | None | – | – |
| 11 | | Nik Ahmad Kamil (1909–1977) | 27 December 1944 | 1953 | | | None | – | – |
| 11 | | Nik Ahmad Kamil (1909–1977) | 27 December 1944 | 1953 | | | UMNO | – | – |
| 11 | | Nik Ahmad Kamil (1909–1977) | 27 December 1944 | 1953 | | | IMP | – | – |
| 11 | | Nik Ahmad Kamil (1909–1977) | 27 December 1944 | 1953 | | | Parti Negara | – | – |
| 12 | | Tengku Muhammad Hamzah Tengku Zainal Abidin (1909–1962) | 1953 | 1959 | | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 13 | | Ishak Lotfi Omar (1916–1992) MLA for Kota Bharu Selatan | 1959 | 1964 | | | PMIP | 1959 | 1st |
| 14 | | Dato' Asri Muda (1924–1992) MLA for Kota Bharu Tengah | 1964 | 1973 | | | PMIP | 1964 | 2nd |
| 14 | | Dato' Asri Muda (1924–1992) MLA for Kota Bharu Tengah | 1964 | 1973 | | | PMIP | 1969 | 3rd |
| 15 | | Dato' Mohamed Nasir (1916–1997) MLA for Tendong | 1974 | November 1977 | | | BN (PAS) | 1974 | 4th |
| 16 | | Dato' Mohamed Yaacob (1926–2009) MLA for Lanas (until 1986) MLA for Panglima Bayu (from 1986) | 23 March 1978 | 22 October 1990 | 12 years, 214 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1978 | 5th |
| 16 | | Dato' Mohamed Yaacob (1926–2009) MLA for Lanas (until 1986) MLA for Panglima Bayu (from 1986) | 23 March 1978 | 22 October 1990 | 12 years, 214 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1982 | 6th |
| 16 | | Dato' Mohamed Yaacob (1926–2009) MLA for Lanas (until 1986) MLA for Panglima Bayu (from 1986) | 23 March 1978 | 22 October 1990 | 12 years, 214 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1986 | 7th |
| 17 | | Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931–2015) MLA for Semut Api (until 1995) MLA for Chempaka (from 1995) | 22 October 1990 | 6 May 2013 | 22 years, 197 days | | APU (PAS) | 1990 | 8th |
| 17 | | Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931–2015) MLA for Semut Api (until 1995) MLA for Chempaka (from 1995) | 22 October 1990 | 6 May 2013 | 22 years, 197 days | | APU (PAS) | 1995 | 9th |
| 17 | | Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931–2015) MLA for Semut Api (until 1995) MLA for Chempaka (from 1995) | 22 October 1990 | 6 May 2013 | 22 years, 197 days | | BA (PAS) | 1999 | 10th |
| 17 | | Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931–2015) MLA for Semut Api (until 1995) MLA for Chempaka (from 1995) | 22 October 1990 | 6 May 2013 | 22 years, 197 days | | BA (PAS) | 2004 | 11th |
| 17 | | Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931–2015) MLA for Semut Api (until 1995) MLA for Chempaka (from 1995) | 22 October 1990 | 6 May 2013 | 22 years, 197 days | | PR (PAS) | 2008 | 12th |
| 18 | | Dato' Ahmad Yakob (born 1950) MLA for Pasir Pekan | 6 May 2013 | 15 August 2023 | 10 years, 102 days | | PR (PAS) | 2013 | 13th |
| 18 | | Dato' Ahmad Yakob (born 1950) MLA for Pasir Pekan | 6 May 2013 | 15 August 2023 | 10 years, 102 days | | GS (PAS) | 2018 | 14th |
| 18 | | Dato' Ahmad Yakob (born 1950) MLA for Pasir Pekan | 6 May 2013 | 15 August 2023 | 10 years, 102 days | | PN (PAS) | 2018 | 14th |
| 19 | | Dato' Mohd Nassuruddin Daud (born 1965) MLA for Meranti | 15 August 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 56 days | | PN (PAS) | 2023 | 15th |
* ↑ This column names only the Menteri Besar's party. The state government he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; those are not listed here.

## Living former Menteri Besar

| Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
| Ahmad Yakob | 2013–2023 | 1 February 1950 (age 74) |