# Menteri Besar of Pahang

The Menteri Besar Pahang or First Minister of Pahang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Pahang. According to convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly.
The 14th and current Menteri Besar of Pahang is Wan Rosdy, who took office on 15 May 2018.

## Appointment

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office during the pleasure of the Sultan, unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Sultan on the advice of the Menteri Besar but may at any time resign his office.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

The following is the list of Menteris Besar of Pahang since 1948:
Colour key (for political parties):  UMNO  Alliance /  Barisan Nasional
| No. | Portrait | Name Constituency (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| No. | Portrait | Name Constituency (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Party | Election | Assembly |
| 1 | | Haji Sir Mahmud Haji Sir Mat (1894–1971) | 1 February 1948 | 1 February 1951 | 3 years, 1 day | | UMNO | – | – |
| 2 | | Tengku Muhammad Sultan Haji Sir Ahmad (1901–1957) | 1 February 1951 | 1 February 1955 | 4 years, 1 day | | UMNO | – | – |
| 2 | | Tengku Muhammad Sultan Haji Sir Ahmad (1901–1957) | 1 February 1951 | 1 February 1955 | 4 years, 1 day | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 3 | | Abdul Razak Hussein (1922–1976) | 1 February 1955 | 15 June 1955 | 135 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 4 | | Tengku Muhammad Sultan Haji Sir Ahmad (1901–1957) | 15 June 1955 | 8 January 1957 | 1 year, 208 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 5 | | Raja Abdullah Tok Muda Ibrahim | 9 January 1957 | 18 July 1959 | 2 years, 191 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | – |
| 6 | | Wan Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdullah MLA for Chenor | 18 July 1959 | 5 May 1964 | 4 years, 293 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1959 | 1st |
| 7 | | Yahya Mohd Seth MLA for Sanggang | 5 May 1964 | 1 July 1972 | 8 years, 120 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1964 | 2nd |
| 7 | | Yahya Mohd Seth MLA for Sanggang | 5 May 1964 | 1 July 1972 | 8 years, 120 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | 1969 | 3rd |
| 8 | | Abdul Aziz Ahmad MLA for Beserah | 1 July 1972 | 18 July 1974 | 1 year, 321 days | | Alliance (UMNO) | – | 3rd |
| 8 | | Abdul Aziz Ahmad MLA for Beserah | 1 July 1972 | 18 July 1974 | 1 year, 321 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 3rd |
| 9 | | Muhammad Jusoh MLA for Kuala Pahang (1912–1985) | 19 July 1974 | 18 July 1978 | 4 years, 0 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 3rd |
| 9 | | Muhammad Jusoh MLA for Kuala Pahang (1912–1985) | 19 July 1974 | 18 July 1978 | 4 years, 0 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1974 | 4th |
| 10 | | Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar MLA for Beserah (1943–2009) | 19 July 1978 | 7 November 1981 | 3 years, 112 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1978 | 5th |
| 11 | | Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman MLA for Paya Besar (1938–2018) | 7 November 1981 | 4 May 1982 | 179 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 5th |
| 12 | | Dato' Sri Najib Razak MLA for Bandar Pekan (born 1953) | 4 May 1982 | 14 August 1986 | 4 years, 103 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1982 | 6th |
| 13 | | Dato' Sri Mohd Khalil Yaakob MLA for Bukit Tajau (until 1995) MLA for Lepar (from 1995) (born 1937) | 14 August 1986 | 20 May 1999 | 12 years, 280 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1986 | 7th |
| 13 | | Dato' Sri Mohd Khalil Yaakob MLA for Bukit Tajau (until 1995) MLA for Lepar (from 1995) (born 1937) | 14 August 1986 | 20 May 1999 | 12 years, 280 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1990 | 8th |
| 13 | | Dato' Sri Mohd Khalil Yaakob MLA for Bukit Tajau (until 1995) MLA for Lepar (from 1995) (born 1937) | 14 August 1986 | 20 May 1999 | 12 years, 280 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1995 | 9th |
| 14 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Adnan Yaakob MLA for Pelangai (born 1950) | 20 May 1999 | 15 May 2018 | 18 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | – | 9th |
| 14 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Adnan Yaakob MLA for Pelangai (born 1950) | 20 May 1999 | 15 May 2018 | 18 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 1999 | 10th |
| 14 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Adnan Yaakob MLA for Pelangai (born 1950) | 20 May 1999 | 15 May 2018 | 18 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2004 | 11th |
| 14 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Adnan Yaakob MLA for Pelangai (born 1950) | 20 May 1999 | 15 May 2018 | 18 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2008 | 12th |
| 14 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Adnan Yaakob MLA for Pelangai (born 1950) | 20 May 1999 | 15 May 2018 | 18 years, 361 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2013 | 13th |
| 15 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail MLA for Jelai (born 1958) | 15 May 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 294 days | | BN (UMNO) | 2018 | 14th |
| 15 | | Dato' Sri Diraja Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail MLA for Jelai (born 1958) | 15 May 2018 | Incumbent | 6 years, 294 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 |
| Mohd Najib Abdul Razak | 1982–1986 | 23 July 1953 (age 71) |
| Mohd Khalil Yaakob | 1986–1999 | 29 December 1937 (age 87) |
| Adnan Yaakob | 1999–2018 | 18 April 1950 (age 74) |