# Menteri Besar of Perak

The Menteri Besar of Perak or First Minister of Perak is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Perak. According to convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Perak State Legislative Assembly.
The current holder of Menteri Besar of Perak post is Saarani Mohammad, who has served since 10 December 2020.

## Appointment

According to the state constitution, the Sultan of Perak 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hold office during the pleasure of the Sultan, unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Sultan on the advice of the Menteri Besar but may at any time resign his office.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 Perak 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 Perak

The following is the list of Menteris Besar of Perak since 1948:
Colour key (for political parties):  UMNO  NAP  Alliance /  Barisan Nasional  Pakatan Rakyat  Pakatan Harapan  Perikatan Nasional
| 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 | | Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz (1905–1959) | 1 February 1948 | 1 August 1957 | 9 years, 182 days | | UMNO | – | – |
| 1 | | Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz (1905–1959) | 1 February 1948 | 1 August 1957 | 9 years, 182 days | | Independent | – | – |
| 1 | | Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz (1905–1959) | 1 February 1948 | 1 August 1957 | 9 years, 182 days | | NAP | – | – |
| 2 | | Mohamed Ghazali Jawi (1924–1982) MLC for Larut-South Matang | 1 August 1957 | 16 April 1959 | 1 year, 259 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 3 | | Shaari Shafie (1912–1966) MLA for Senggang | 16 April 1959 | 8 May 1964 | 5 years, 23 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 3 | | Shaari Shafie (1912–1966) MLA for Senggang | 16 April 1959 | 8 May 1964 | 5 years, 23 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1959 | 1st |
| 4 | | Ahmad Said (1919–1974) MLA for Lenggong | 9 May 1964 | 17 March 1969 | 4 years, 313 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1964 | 2nd |
| 5 | | Kamaruddin Mohd. Isa (1929–1990) MLA for Larut | 18 March 1969 | 4 September 1974 | 5 years, 171 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1969 | 3rd |
| 6 | | Mohamed Ghazali Jawi (1924–1982) MLA for Kenering | 4 September 1974 | 2 October 1977 | 3 years, 29 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1974 | 4th |
| 7 | | Dato' Seri Wan Mohamed Wan Teh (1929–1993) MLA for Temengor (until 1978) MLA for Kenering (from 1978) | 3 October 1977 | 1 March 1983 | 5 years, 150 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 4th |
| 7 | | Dato' Seri Wan Mohamed Wan Teh (1929–1993) MLA for Temengor (until 1978) MLA for Kenering (from 1978) | 3 October 1977 | 1 March 1983 | 5 years, 150 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1978 | 5th |
| 7 | | Dato' Seri Wan Mohamed Wan Teh (1929–1993) MLA for Temengor (until 1978) MLA for Kenering (from 1978) | 3 October 1977 | 1 March 1983 | 5 years, 150 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1982 | 6th |
| 8 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ramli Ngah Talib (born 1941) MLA for Kampong Gajah | 1 March 1983 | 3 December 1999 | 16 years, 278 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 6th |
| 8 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ramli Ngah Talib (born 1941) MLA for Kampong Gajah | 1 March 1983 | 3 December 1999 | 16 years, 278 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1986 | 7th |
| 8 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ramli Ngah Talib (born 1941) MLA for Kampong Gajah | 1 March 1983 | 3 December 1999 | 16 years, 278 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1990 | 8th |
| 8 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ramli Ngah Talib (born 1941) MLA for Kampong Gajah | 1 March 1983 | 3 December 1999 | 16 years, 278 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1995 | 9th |
| 9 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri DiRaja Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali (born 1946) MLA for Kenering (until 2004) MLA for Pengkalan Hulu (from 2004) | 3 December 1999 | 17 March 2008 | 8 years, 106 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1999 | 10th |
| 9 | | Tan Sri Dato' Seri DiRaja Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali (born 1946) MLA for Kenering (until 2004) MLA for Pengkalan Hulu (from 2004) | 3 December 1999 | 17 March 2008 | 8 years, 106 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2004 | 11th |
| 10 | | Dato' Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (born 1957) MLA for Pasir Panjang | 17 March 2008 | 6 February 2009 | 327 days | | PR (PAS) | 2008 | 12th |
| 11 | | Dato' Seri DiRaja Zambry Abdul Kadir (born 1962) MLA for Pangkor | 12 May 2009 | 12 May 2018 | 9 years, 0 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 12th |
| 11 | | Dato' Seri DiRaja Zambry Abdul Kadir (born 1962) MLA for Pangkor | 12 May 2009 | 12 May 2018 | 9 years, 0 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2013 | 13th |
| 12 | | Dato' Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (born 1970) MLA for Chenderiang | 12 May 2018 | 10 March 2020 | 1 year, 304 days | | PH (BERSATU) | 2018 | 14th |
| 12 | | Dato' Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (born 1970) MLA for Chenderiang | 13 March 2020 | 5 December 2020 | 268 days | | PN (BERSATU) | – | 14th |
| 13 | | Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad (born 1962) MLA for Kota Tampan | 10 December 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 38 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 14th |
| 13 | | Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad (born 1962) MLA for Kota Tampan | 10 December 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 38 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2022 | 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 Menteris Besar

| Name | Term of office | Date of birth |
| Ramli Ngah Talib | 1983–1999 | 16 March 1941 (age 83) |
| Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali | 1999–2008 | 6 November 1946 (age 78) |
| Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin | 2008-2009 | 17 March 1957 (age 67) |
| Zambry Abdul Kadir | 2009–2018 | 22 March 1962 (age 62) |
| Ahmad Faizal Azumu | 2018–2020 | 10 June 1970 (age 54) |