# 2023 Penang state election

The 15th Penang state election was held on 12 August 2023 to elect the State Assembly members of the 15th Penang State Legislative Assembly, the legislature of the Malaysian state of Penang.
Penang is one of the states which did not dissolve simultaneously with Dewan Rakyat on 10 October 2022. It was decided by Pakatan Harapan on 15 October 2022.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) – Pakatan Harapan (PH) electoral pact won 29 of 40 seats, with PH winning a standalone majority of 27 seats and BN winning 2 seats. The Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition won the remaining 11 seats to become the main opposition in the state assembly.

## Background

In the 2018 general election, Pakatan Harapan won the state of Penang, winning 37 out of the 40 state seats. Despite the Sheraton Move occurring in the beginning of 2020, the various changes during the 2020 - 2022 Malaysian political crisis did not affect the politics at the state level, allowing the Pakatan Harapan state government to continue to govern.
On 6 August 2020, the Chief Minister of Penang, Chow Kon Yeow, reiterated his stance that all states that have a Pakatan Harapan government, including Penang, would not dissolve the state assemblies in order to coincide with a snap general election. This was because at the time, the Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan state governments had a stable majority. The Pakatan Harapan leadership further emphasised that there would not be a dissolution of assembly in 2021 and 2022, citing various factors, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the need for the state governments to complete a full term, and the possibility of various factors which might inconvenience people should the state elections be called at the wrong time, such as floods, ahead of the 2022 Malaysian general election.
On 10 October 2022, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament, resulting in a snap general election being held in Malaysia on 19 November 2022. Traditionally, every state in Malaysia except Sarawak would hold their state elections concurrently with the general election for the sake of convenience, but since 2020, several Malaysian states held state elections separately from the general election, with Sabah on 26 September 2020, Malacca on 20 November 2021, Sarawak on 18 December 2021 and Johor on 12 March 2022. With the exception of Perlis, Perak and Pahang holding state elections during the 2022 Malaysian general election, all other states, including Penang, will hold their state elections in 2023.

## Constituencies

All 40 constituencies within Penang, which constitute the Penang State Legislative Assembly, were contested during the election.

## Composition before dissolution

| Government | Government | Government | Confidence and supply | Opposition | Opposition |
| PH | PH | PH | BN | PN |
| 33 | 33 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| DAP | PKR | AMANAH | UMNO | PAS |

## Timeline

The key dates are listed below.
| Date | Event |
| 15 October 2022 | Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council decided against dissolving the 14th Penang State Legislative Assembly. |
| 28 June 2023 | Dissolution of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. |
| 5 July 2023 | Issue of the Writ of Election |
| 29 July 2023 | Nomination Day |
| 29 July–11 August 2023 | Campaigning Period |
| 8–11 August 2023 | Early Polling Day For Postal, Overseas and Advance Voters |
| 12 August 2023 | Polling Day |

## Retiring incumbent

The following members of the 14th State Legislative Assembly do not contest this election.
| No. | State Constituency | Departing MLA | Coalition (Party) | Date confirmed | First elected | Reason |
| N06 | Telok Ayer Tawar | Mustafa Kamal Ahmad | PH (PKR) | 18 July 2023 | 2018 | Not seeking re-election. |
| N36 | Pantai Jerejak | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail | PH (PKR) | 18 July 2023 | 2018 | Not contesting state election. (Senator) |
| N3 | Pinang Tunggal | Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman | PH (PKR) | 22 July 2023 | 2018 | Dropped by party. |
| N12 | Penanti | Norlela Ariffin | PH (PKR) | 22 July 2023 | 2013 | Dropped by party. |
| N20 | Sungai Bakap | Amar Pritpal Abdullah | PH (PKR) | 22 July 2023 | 2018 | Dropped by party. |
| N24 | Kebun Bunga | Jason Ong Khan Lee | PH (PKR) | 22 July 2023 | 2008 | Dropped by party. |
| N37 | Batu Maung | Abdul Halim Hussain | PH (PKR) | 22 July 2023 | 2018 | Dropped by party. |
| N7 | Sungai Puyu | Phee Boon Poh | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 1990 | Dropped by party. |
| N8 | Bagan Jermal | Soon Lip Chee | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 2013 | Dropped by party. |
| N15 | Padang Lalang | Chong Eng | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 1995 | Dropped by party. |
| N16 | Perai | Ramasamy Palanisamy | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 2008 | Dropped by party. |
| N34 | Paya Terubong | Yeoh Soon Hin | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 2008 | Dropped by party. |
| N32 | Seri Delima | Syerleena Abdul Rashid | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 2018 | Not contesting state election (MP for Bukit Bendera). |
| N25 | Pulau Tikus | Chris Lee Chun Kit | PH (DAP) | 25 July 2023 | 2018 | Not contesting state election. |
| N5 | Sungai Dua | Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor | BN (UMNO) | 21 July 2023 | 2013 | Dropped by party. |
| N10 | Seberang Jaya | Afif Bahardin | PN (BERSATU) | 6 March 2023 | 2013 | Transferred to Taman Medan (Selangor). |
| N40 | Telok Bahang | Zolkifly Mohd Lazim | PN (BERSATU) | 6 March 2023 | 2018 | Dropped by party. |

## Electoral candidates

Names in bold are the confirmed winners in the 2023 state election.
| No. | Parliamentary Constituency | No. | State Constituency | Voters | Incumbent State Assemblymen | Coalition (Party) | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties | Political coalitions and parties |
| No. | Parliamentary Constituency | No. | State Constituency | Voters | Incumbent State Assemblymen | Coalition (Party) | Barisan Nasional + Pakatan Harapan | Barisan Nasional + Pakatan Harapan | Perikatan Nasional | Perikatan Nasional | MUDA + PSM electoral pact | MUDA + PSM electoral pact | Other parties/Independents | Other parties/Independents | Other parties/Independents | Other parties/Independents |
| No. | Parliamentary Constituency | No. | State Constituency | Voters | Incumbent State Assemblymen | Coalition (Party) | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party |
| P041 | Kepala Batas | N01 | Penaga | 25,468 | Mohd Yusni Mat Piah | PN (PAS) | Mohd Naim Salleh | UMNO | Mohd Yusni Mat Piah | PAS | | | | | | |
| P041 | Kepala Batas | N02 | Bertam | 23,999 | Vacant | Vacant | Reezal Merican Naina Merican | UMNO | Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P041 | Kepala Batas | N03 | Pinang Tunggal | 34,723 | Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman | PH (PKR) | Zainuddin Mohamad | PKR | Bukhori Ghazali | PAS | | | | | | |
| P042 | Tasek Gelugor | N04 | Permatang Berangan | 28,519 | Nor Hafizah Othman | BN (UMNO) | Nor Hafizah Othman | UMNO | Mohamad Sobri Saleh | PAS | | | | | | |
| P042 | Tasek Gelugor | N05 | Sungai Dua | 28,100 | Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor | BN (UMNO) | Shaik Hussein Mydin | UMNO | Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff | PAS | | | | | | |
| P042 | Tasek Gelugor | N06 | Telok Ayer Tawar | 24,784 | Mustafa Kamal Ahmad | PH (PKR) | Mohsein Md Shariff | PKR | Azmi Alang | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P043 | Bagan | N07 | Sungai Puyu | 35,904 | Phee Boon Poh | PH (DAP) | Phee Syn Tze | DAP | Andrew Teow Chin Siang | PAS | | | | | | |
| P043 | Bagan | N08 | Bagan Jermal | 32,529 | Soon Lip Chee | PH (DAP) | Chee Yeeh Keen | DAP | Ong Chuan Jin | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P043 | Bagan | N09 | Bagan Dalam | 21,221 | Satees Muniandy | PH (DAP) | Kumaran Krishnan | DAP | Jayaraman Kunchu Kannu | PAS | | | S. Rajasakanan | PFP | Satees Muniandy | IND |
| P044 | Permatang Pauh | N10 | Seberang Jaya | 49,215 | Vacant | Vacant | Johari Kassim | PKR | Izhar Shah Arif Shah | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P044 | Permatang Pauh | N11 | Permatang Pasir | 30,464 | Muhammad Faiz Fadzil | PH (AMANAH) | Muhammad Faiz Fadzil | AMANAH | Amir Hamzah Abdul Hashim | PAS | | | | | | |
| P044 | Permatang Pauh | N12 | Penanti | 28,170 | Norlela Ariffin | PH (PKR) | Rohsidi Hussain | PKR | Zulkifli Bakar | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P045 | Bukit Mertajam | N13 | Berapit | 29,076 | Heng Lee Lee | PH (DAP) | Heng Lee Lee | DAP | Lee Kok Keong | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P045 | Bukit Mertajam | N14 | Machang Bubok | 56,538 | Lee Khai Loon | PH (PKR) | Lee Khai Loon | PKR | Tan Hum Wei | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P045 | Bukit Mertajam | N15 | Padang Lalang | 36,001 | Chong Eng | PH (DAP) | Gooi Zi Sen | DAP | Suresh Devaraj Naidu | BERSATU | | | Ooi Khar Giap | PFP | | |
| P046 | Batu Kawan | N16 | Perai | 20,479 | Ramasamy Palanisamy | PH (DAP) | Sundarajoo Somu | DAP | Sivasuntaram Rajalinggam | GERAKAN | Vikneswary Harikrishnan | MUDA | David Marshel | IND | | |
| P046 | Batu Kawan | N17 | Bukit Tengah | 31,635 | Gooi Hsiao Leung | PH (PKR) | Gooi Hsiao Leung | PKR | Baljit Singh Jigiri Singh | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P046 | Batu Kawan | N18 | Bukit Tambun | 37,496 | Goh Choon Aik | PH (PKR) | Goh Choon Aik | PKR | Tan Gia Wei | GERAKAN | | | Somuganathan Muniandy | IND | | |
| P047 | Nibong Tebal | N19 | Jawi | 36,601 | H’ng Mooi Lye | PH (DAP) | H’ng Mooi Lye | DAP | Steven Koh Tien Yew | PAS | | | | | | |
| P047 | Nibong Tebal | N20 | Sungai Bakap | 38,409 | Amar Pritpal Abdullah | PH (PKR) | Nurhidayah Che Rus | PKR | Nor Zamri Latiff | PAS | | | | | | |
| P047 | Nibong Tebal | N21 | Sungai Acheh | 26,095 | Vacant | Vacant | Rashidi Zinol | UMNO | Zulkifli Ibrahim | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P048 | Bukit Bendera | N22 | Tanjong Bunga | 29,477 | Zairil Khir Johari | PH (DAP) | Zairil Khir Johari | DAP | Hng Chee Wey | GERAKAN | | | Lee Chui Wah | PRM | | |
| P048 | Bukit Bendera | N23 | Air Putih | 15,371 | Lim Guan Eng | PH (DAP) | Lim Guan Eng | DAP | Koh Cheng Ann | GERAKAN | | | Teh Yee Cheu | PRM | | |
| P048 | Bukit Bendera | N24 | Kebun Bunga | 24,532 | Jason Ong Khan Lee | PH (PKR) | Lee Boon Heng | PKR | Tan Zhen Zune | GERAKAN | | | Razalif Mohamad Zain | IND | | |
| P048 | Bukit Bendera | N25 | Pulau Tikus | 23,257 | Chris Lee Chun Kit | PH (DAP) | Woo Sze Zeng | DAP | Tang Ching Sern | GERAKAN | | | Goh Chuin Loon | PRM | | |
| P049 | Tanjong | N26 | Padang Kota | 15,165 | Chow Kon Yeow | PH (DAP) | Chow Kon Yeow | DAP | H'ng Khoon Leng | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P049 | Tanjong | N27 | Pengkalan Kota | 21,568 | Gooi Zi Sen | PH (DAP) | Wong Yuee Harng | DAP | Suthakaran Subramaniam | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P049 | Tanjong | N28 | Komtar | 15,532 | Teh Lai Heng | PH (DAP) | Teh Lai Heng | DAP | Cheah Kim Huat | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P050 | Jelutong | N29 | Datok Keramat | 26,791 | Jagdeep Singh Deo | PH (DAP) | Jagdeep Singh Deo | DAP | Heng See Lin | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P050 | Jelutong | N30 | Sungai Pinang | 34,416 | Lim Siew Khim | PH (DAP) | Lim Siew Khim | DAP | Ng Fook On | GERAKAN | | | Abdul Ghani Haroon | PRM | Andrew Rajah | IND |
| P050 | Jelutong | N31 | Batu Lancang | 33,106 | Ong Ah Teong | PH (DAP) | Ong Ah Teong | DAP | Mohd Aswaad Jaafar | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P051 | Bukit Gelugor | N32 | Seri Delima | 31,574 | Syerleena Abdul Rashid | PH (DAP) | Tan Hooi Peng | DAP | Mohan Apparoo | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P051 | Bukit Gelugor | N33 | Air Itam | 23,085 | Joseph Ng Soon Seong | PH (DAP) | Joseph Ng Soon Seong | DAP | Cheang Chee Gooi | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P051 | Bukit Gelugor | N34 | Paya Terubong | 62,734 | Yeoh Soon Hin | PH (DAP) | Wong Hon Wai | DAP | Ooi Ghee Oon | GERAKAN | | | | | | |
| P052 | Bayan Baru | N35 | Batu Uban | 43,529 | Kumaresan Aramugam | PH (PKR) | Kumaresan Aramugam | PKR | Mok Kok On | GERAKAN | Lee Kim Noor | MUDA | | | | |
| P052 | Bayan Baru | N36 | Pantai Jerejak | 29,890 | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail | PH (PKR) | Fahmi Zainol | PKR | Oh Tong Keong | GERAKAN | Priyankaa Loh Siang Pin | MUDA | Ravinder Singh | PRM | | |
| P052 | Bayan Baru | N37 | Batu Maung | 47,226 | Abdul Halim Hussain | PH (PKR) | Mohamad Abdul Hamid | PKR | Azahari Aris | BERSATU | | | | | | |
| P053 | Balik Pulau | N38 | Bayan Lepas | 39,754 | Azrul Mahathir Aziz | PH (AMANAH) | Azrul Mahathir Aziz | AMANAH | Dominic Lau Hoe Chai | GERAKAN | | | |
| P053 | Balik Pulau | N39 | Pulau Betong | 23,838 | Mohd Tuah Ismail | PH (PKR) | Mohd Tuah Ismail | PKR | Mohamad Shukor Zakariah | PAS | | | | | | |
| P053 | Balik Pulau | N40 | Telok Bahang | 17,927 | Vacant | Vacant | Ahmad Zaki Shah Shah Headan | UMNO | Muhamad Kasim | BERSATU | | | | | | |

## Opinion polls

| Polling firm | Dates conducted | Sample size | PH+BN | PN | Oth | Lead | Ref |
| Ilham Centre | 29 July – 8 August 2023 | 2,304 | 64% | 36% | 0% | PH+BN +28% | |

## Results

| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | | Democratic Action Party | 313,731 | 35.26 | 19 | 0 |
| | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | | People's Justice Party | 202,522 | 22.76 | 7 | –7 |
| | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | | United Malays National Organisation | 49,476 | 5.56 | 2 | 0 |
| | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | | National Trust Party | 25,880 | 2.91 | 1 | –1 |
| | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | Total | Total | 591,609 | 66.48 | 29 | –8 |
| | Perikatan Nasional | | Malaysian Islamic Party | 109,508 | 12.31 | 7 | +6 |
| | Perikatan Nasional | | Malaysian United Indigenous Party | 96,003 | 10.79 | 4 | +2 |
| | Perikatan Nasional | | Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia | 85,003 | 9.55 | 0 | 0 |
| | Perikatan Nasional | Total | Total | 290,514 | 32.65 | 11 | +8 |
| | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | 1,874 | 0.21 | 0 | New |
| | MUDA + PSM | | Malaysian United Democratic Alliance | 1,528 | 0.17 | 0 | New |
| | Penang Front Party | Penang Front Party | Penang Front Party | 333 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 3,996 | 0.45 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 889,854 | 100.00 | 40 | – |

### By parliamentary constituency

PH+BN won 9 of 13 parliamentary constituency by average percentages.
| No. | Constituency | Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional | Perikatan Nasional | Member of Parliament |
| P041 | Kepala Batas | 42.39% | 57.61% | Siti Mastura Mohamad |
| P042 | Tasek Gelugor | 37.17% | 62.83% | Wan Saiful Wan Jan |
| P043 | Bagan | 85.71% | 14.29% | Lim Guan Eng |
| P044 | Permatang Pauh | 42.81% | 57.19% | Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan |
| P045 | Bukit Mertajam | 80.66% | 19.34% | Steven Sim Chee Keong |
| P046 | Batu Kawan | 78.04% | 21.95% | Chow Kon Yeow |
| P047 | Nibong Tebal | 61.45% | 38.55% | Fadhlina Sidek |
| P048 | Bukit Bendera | 84.93% | 15.07% | Syerleena Abdul Rashid |
| P049 | Tanjong | 90.46% | 9.54% | Lim Hui Ying |
| P050 | Jelutong | 71.75% | 22.25% | RSN Rayer |
| P051 | Bukit Gelugor | 86.34% | 13.66% | Ramkarpal Singh |
| P052 | Bayan Baru | 67.16% | 32.84% | Sim Tze Tzin |
| P053 | Balik Pulau | 49.91% | 50.09% | Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik |

### Seats that changed allegiance

| No. | Seat | Previous Party (2018) | Current Party (2022) |
| N02 | Bertam | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) |
| N03 | Pinang Tunggal | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N04 | Permatang Berangan | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N05 | Sungai Dua | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N06 | Telok Ayer Tawar | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
| N10 | Seberang Jaya | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
| N11 | Permatang Pasir | Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N12 | Penanti | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |
| N20 | Sungai Bakap | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N21 | Sungai Acheh | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) |
| N39 | Pulau Betong | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) | Perikatan Nasional (PAS) |
| N40 | Telok Bahang | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) | Perikatan Nasional (BERSATU) |