# 2018 Kedah state election

The 14th Kedah State election was held on 9 May 2018, concurrently with the 2018 Malaysian general election. The previous state election was held on 5 May 2013. The state assemblymen is elected to 5 years term each.
The Kedah State Legislative Assembly would automatically dissolve on 23 June 2018, the fifth anniversary of the first sitting, and elections must be held within sixty days (two months) of the dissolution (on or before 21 August 2018, with the date to be decided by the Election Commission), unless dissolved prior to that date by the Head of State (Sultan of Kedah) on the advice of the Head of Government (Menteri Besar of Kedah).
The state election resulting in a hung parliament, as no parties gained simple majority. Pakatan Harapan (PH) gained a plurality in the election, winning 18 seats but still short of 1 seat for a simple majority win; nevertheless PH were invited by Sultan of Kedah to form the state government. Mukhriz Mahathir, from BERSATU, was sworn in as Menteri Besar on 11 May 2018. This is Mukhriz's second term as Menteri Besar, having held the position from 2013 to 2016 under his previous party UMNO-BN.

## Contenders

Barisan Nasional (BN) contested all 36 seats in Kedah State Legislative Assembly. Barisan Nasional (BN) linchpin party United Malays National Organisation (UNMO) is to set to contest major share of Barisan Nasional (BN) seats.
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) also contested all 36 seats in Kedah.
Pakatan Harapan have decided to contest all 36 seats in Kedah. On 4 February 2018, Pakatan Harapan has yet to finalize 4 seats. The seats are Guar Chempedak, Pantai Merdeka, Gurun and Kulim. On 26 February 2018, Pakatan Harapan has completed the distribution of seats in Kedah. Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) is to set to contest major share of Pakatan Harapan seats. Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) will contest in 14 seats while the National Trust Party (Amanah) will have 10 seats. People's Justice Party (PKR) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) will contest 10 and 2 seats.

### Political parties

| Coalition | Coalition | Coalition | Other parties |
| Incumbent | Opposition | Opposition | | Other parties |
| Barisan Nasional (BN) | Pakatan Harapan (PH) | Gagasan Sejahtera (GS) | Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) |
| United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) | Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) National Trust Party (Amanah) People's Justice Party (PKR) Democratic Action Party (DAP) | Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) | Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) |

## The contested seats

| No. | State constituency | Incumbent State Assemblyman | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties | Political parties |
| No. | State constituency | Incumbent State Assemblyman | Barisan Nasional | Barisan Nasional | Pakatan Harapan | Pakatan Harapan | Gagasan Sejahtera | Gagasan Sejahtera | Other parties/Ind | Other parties/Ind |
| No. | State constituency | Incumbent State Assemblyman | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party | Candidate Name | Party |
| N01 | Ayer Hangat | Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid (BN) | Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid | UMNO | Johari Bulat | Bersatu | Azlina Azinan | PAS | — | — |
| N02 | Kuah | Nor Saidi Nanyan (BN) | Nor Saidi Nanyan | UMNO | Mohd Firdaus Ahmad | Bersatu | Mazlan Ahmad | PAS | Mohamad Ratu Mansor | IND |
| N03 | Kota Siputeh | Abu Hasan Sarif (BN) | Ahmad Azhar Abdullah | UMNO | Salmee Said | Amanah | Mat Rejab Md Akhir | PAS | — | — |
| N04 | Ayer Hitam | Mukhriz Mahathir (PH) | Abu Hasan Sarif | UMNO | A. Aziz Mohamod | Bersatu | Azhar Ibrahim | PAS | — | — |
| N05 | Bukit Kayu Hitam | Ahmad Zaini Japar (BN) | Ahmad Zaini Japar | UMNO | Halimahton Shaadiah Saad | Bersatu | Habshah Bakar | PAS | — | — |
| N06 | Jitra | Aminuddin Omar (BN) | Aminuddin Omar | UMNO | Mukhriz Mahathir | Bersatu | Zulhazmi Othman | PAS | — | — |
| N07 | Kuala Nerang | Badrol Hisham Hashim (BN) | Badrol Hisham Hashim | UMNO | Syed Fadzil Syed Embun | Bersatu | Munir @ Mohamad Yusuf Zakaria | PAS | — | — |
| N08 | Pedu | Kama Noriah Ibrahim (BN) | Kama Noriah Ibrahim | UMNO | Hashim Idris | PKR | Mohd Radzi Md Amin | PAS | — | — |
| N09 | Bukit Lada | Ahmad Lebai Sudin (BN) | Ariffin Man | UMNO | Mohd Aizad bin Roslan | Bersatu | Salim Mahmood | PAS | Ismail Othman | IND |
| N10 | Bukit Pinang | Wan Romani Wan Salim (GS) | Mohammad Nawar Ariffin | UMNO | Che Mat Dzaher Ahmad | PKR | Wan Romani Wan Salim | PAS | — | — |
| N11 | Derga | Tan Kok Yew (PH) | Cheah Soon Hai | Gerakan | Tan Kok Yew | DAP | Yahya Saad | PAS | — | — |
| N12 | Suka Menanti (previously known as Bakar Bata) | Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah (BN) | Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah | UMNO | Zamri Yusuf | PKR | Mohd Sabri Omar | PAS | — | — |
| N13 | Kota Darul Aman | Teoh Boon Kok @ Teoh Kai Kok (PH) | Tan Eng Hwa | MCA | Teh Swee Leong | DAP | Zulkifli Che Haron | PAS | Tan Kang Yap | PRM |
| N14 | Alor Mengkudu | Ahmad Saad @ Yahaya (GS) | Abdul Malik Saad | UMNO | Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi | Amanah | Ahmad Yahya | PAS | — | — |
| N15 | Anak Bukit | Amiruddin Hamzah (PH) | Johari Aziz | UMNO | Amiruddin Hamzah | Bersatu | Hamdi Ishak | PAS | — | — |
| N16 | Kubang Rotan | Mohd Nasir Mustafa (GS) | Abdul Muthalib Harun | UMNO | Mohd Asmirul Anuar Aris | Amanah | Omar Saad | PAS | — | — |
| N17 | Pengkalan Kundor | Phahrolrazi Zawawi (PH) | Abd. Halim Said | UMNO | Ismail Salleh | Amanah | Ahmad Fakhruddin Sheikh Fakhrurazi | PAS | — | — |
| N18 | Tokai | Mohamed Taulan Mat Rasul (GS) | Fatahi Omar | UMNO | Mohd Firdaus Jaafar | Amanah | Mohd Hayati Othman | PAS | — | — |
| N19 | Sungai Tiang | Suraya Yaacob (BN) | Suraya Yaacob | UMNO | Abdul Razak Khamis | Bersatu | Saiful Syazwan Shafie | PAS | — | — |
| N20 | Sungai Limau | Mohd Azam Samat (GS) | Norma Awang | UMNO | Zahran Abdullah | Amanah | Mohd Azam Abd Samat | PAS | — | — |
| N21 | Guar Chempedak | Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail (BN) | Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail | UMNO | Mohd Saffuan Sabari | Bersatu | Musoddak Ahmad | PAS | — | — |
| N22 | Gurun | Leong Yong Kong (BN) | Boey Chin Gan | MCA | Johari Abdul | PKR | Muzaini Azizan | PAS | Palaniappan Marimuthu | IND |
| N23 | Belantek | Mohd Tajudin Abdullah (BN) | Mohd Tajudin Abdullah | UMNO | Abdul Rashid Abdullah | Amanah | Mad Isa Shafie | PAS | — | — |
| N24 | Jeneri | Mahadzir Abdul Hamid (BN) | Mahadzir Abdul Hamid | UMNO | Mohd Nazri bin Abu Hassan | Bersatu | Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor | PAS | — | — |
| N25 | Bukit Selambau | Krishnamoorthy Rajannaidu (PH) | Jaspal Singh Gurbakhes Singh | MIC | Summugam Rengasamy | PKR | Mohd Ali Sulaiman | PAS | — | — |
| N26 | Tanjong Dawai | Tajul Urus Mat Zain (BN) | Anuar Ahmad | UMNO | Annuar Abd Hamid | Bersatu | Hanif Ghazali | PAS | — | — |
| N27 | Pantai Merdeka | Ali Yahaya (BN) | Ali Yahaya | UMNO | Rosli Yusof | Amanah | Ahmas Fadzli Hashim | PAS | — | — |
| N28 | Bakar Arang | Ooi Tze Min (PH) | Ko Hung Weng | MCA | Ooi Tze Min | PKR | Othman Che Mee | PAS | Tan Khee Chye | PRM |
| N28 | Bakar Arang | Ooi Tze Min (PH) | Ko Hung Weng | MCA | Ooi Tze Min | PKR | Othman Che Mee | PAS | Tan Hock Huat | IND |
| N29 | Sidam | Robert Ling Kui Ee (PH) | Tan Kok Seong | Gerakan | Robert Ling Kui Ee | PKR | Norhidayah Foo Abdullah | PAS | Mohd Hashim Saaludin | PRM |
| N30 | Bayu | Azmi Che Husain (BN) | Mohamed Noor Mohamed Amin | UMNO | Abd Rahim Kechik | Bersatu | Abd Nasir Idris | PAS | — | — |
| N31 | Kupang | Harun Abdul Aziz (BN) | Harun Abdul Aziz | UMNO | Johari Abdullah | Amanah | Najmi Ahmad | PAS | — | — |
| N32 | Kuala Ketil | Md Zuki Yusof (GS) | Mohd. Khairul Abdullah | UMNO | Mohamad Sofee Razak | PKR | Mansor Zakaria | PAS | — | — |
| N33 | Merbau Pulas | Siti Aishah Ghazali (GS) | Asmadi Abu Talib | UMNO | Abd. Razak Salleh | Amanah | Siti Aishah Ghazali | PAS | — | — |
| N34 | Lunas | Azman Nasrudin (PH) | Thuraisingam K.S. Muthu | MIC | Azman Nasrudin | PKR | Ahmad Taufiq Baharum | PAS | — | — |
| N35 | Kulim | Chua Thiong Gee (BN) | Chua Thiong Gee | MCA | Yeo Keng Chuan | PKR | Mohd Khairi Mohd Salleh | PAS | Lee Ah Liong | PRM |
| N36 | Bandar Baharu | Norsabrina Mohd Noor (BN) | Norsabrina Mohd Noor | UMNO | Azimi Daim | Bersatu | Rohaizat Ja'afar | PAS | — | — |

## Election pendulum

The 14th General Election witnessed 18 governmental seats and 18 non-governmental seats filled the Kedah State Legislative Assembly. The government side has 1 safe seat and 3 fairly safe seats. However, none of the non-government side has safe and fairly safe seat.
2018 Kedah state election :

## Results

| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Pakatan Harapan | | People's Justice Party | 143,812 | 15.29 | 7 | +3 |
| | Pakatan Harapan | | Malaysian United Indigenous Party | 114,838 | 12.21 | 5 | +5 |
| | Pakatan Harapan | | National Trust Party | 61,900 | 6.58 | 4 | +4 |
| | Pakatan Harapan | | Democratic Action Party | 22,969 | 2.44 | 2 | – |
| | Pakatan Harapan | Total | Total | 343,519 | 36.53 | 18 | +12 |
| | Gagasan Sejahtera | | Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party | 317,171 | 33.73 | 15 | +6 |
| | Barisan Nasional | | United Malays National Organisation | 226,273 | 24.06 | 3 | –16 |
| | Barisan Nasional | | Malaysian Chinese Association | 24,616 | 2.62 | 0 | –2 |
| | Barisan Nasional | | Malaysian Indian Congress | 16,938 | 1.80 | 0 | 0 |
| | Barisan Nasional | | Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia | 10,867 | 1.16 | 0 | 0 |
| | Barisan Nasional | Total | Total | 278,694 | 29.64 | 3 | –18 |
| | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | Parti Rakyat Malaysia | 204 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 726 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 940,314 | 100.00 | 36 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 940,314 | 98.56 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 13,725 | 1.44 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 954,039 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 1,146,492 | 83.21 | | |
| Source: Malaysiakini ||||||||

### By parliamentary constituency

Pakatan Harapan won 9 of 15 parliamentary constituency.
| No. | Constituency | Barisan Nasional | Gagasan Sejahtera | Pakatan Harapan | Member of Parliament |
| P004 | Langkawi | 34.35% | 19.49% | 45.91% |
| P004 | Langkawi | 34.35% | 19.49% | 45.91% | Nawawi Ahmad (13th Parliament) |
| P004 | Langkawi | 34.35% | 19.49% | 45.91% | Mahathir Mohamad (14th Parliament) |
| P005 | Jerlun | 29.58% | 34.15% | 36.27% |
| P005 | Jerlun | 29.58% | 34.15% | 36.27% | Othman Aziz (13th Parliament) |
| P005 | Jerlun | 29.58% | 34.15% | 36.27% | Mukhriz Mahathir (14th Parliament) |
| P006 | Kubang Pasu | 27.97% | 22.52% | 49.51% | Mohd Johari Baharum (13th Parliament) |
| P006 | Kubang Pasu | 27.97% | 22.52% | 49.51% | Amiruddin Hamzah (14th Parliament) |
| P007 | Padang Terap | 38.52% | 44.40% | 17.08% | Mahdzir Khalid |
| P008 | Pokok Sena | 27.57% | 36.74% | 35.06% | Mahfuz Omar |
| P009 | Alor Setar | 26.21% | 20.77% | 53.02% |
| P009 | Alor Setar | 26.21% | 20.77% | 53.02% | Gooi Hsiao-Leung (13th Parliament) |
| P009 | Alor Setar | 26.21% | 20.77% | 53.02% | Chan Ming Kai (14th Parliament) |
| P010 | Kuala Kedah | 24.23% | 31.09% | 44.68% | Azman Ismail |
| P011 | Pendang | 32.28% | 44.18% | 23.54% |
| P011 | Pendang | 32.28% | 44.18% | 23.54% | Othman Abdul (13th Parliament) |
| P011 | Pendang | 32.28% | 44.18% | 23.54% | Awang Hashim (14th Parliament) |
| P012 | Jerai | 30.59% | 37.36% | 31.80% | Jamil Khir Baharom (13th Parliament) |
| P012 | Jerai | 30.59% | 37.36% | 31.80% | Sabri Azit (14th Parliament) |
| P013 | Sik | 36.23% | 48.22% | 15.55% | Mansor Abd Rahman (13th Parliament) |
| P013 | Sik | 36.23% | 48.22% | 15.55% | Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (14th Parliament) |
| P014 | Merbok | 27.86% | 32.79% | 39.35% | Ismail Daut (13th Parliament) |
| P014 | Merbok | 27.86% | 32.79% | 39.35% | Nor Azrina Surip (14th Parliament) |
| P015 | Sungai Petani | 22.77% | 30.50% | 46.55% | Johari Abdul |
| P016 | Baling | 39.87% | 44.45% | 15.68% | Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim |
| P017 | Padang Serai | 24.17% | 28.51% | 47.32% |
| P017 | Padang Serai | 24.17% | 28.51% | 47.32% | Surendran Nagarajan (13th Parliament) |
| P017 | Padang Serai | 24.17% | 28.51% | 47.32% | Karuppaiya Muthusamy (14th Parliament) |
| P018 | Kulim-Bandar Baharu | 31.57% | 31.01% | 37.36% | Abd. Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (13th Parliament) |
| P018 | Kulim-Bandar Baharu | 31.57% | 31.01% | 37.36% | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (14th Parliament) |

### Seats that changed allegiance

| No. | Seat | Previous Party (2013) | Current Party (2018) |
| N01 | Ayer Hangat | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
| N02 | Kuah | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
| N03 | Kota Siputeh | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) |
| N04 | Ayer Hitam | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N05 | Bukit Kayu Hitam | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
| N06 | Jitra | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
| N07 | Kuala Nerang | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N08 | Pedu | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N09 | Bukit Lada | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N12 | Suka Menanti | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) |
| N14 | Alor Mengkudu | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) | Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) |
| N15 | Anak Bukit | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) | Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU) |
| N16 | Kubang Rotan | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) | Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) |
| N17 | Pengkalan Kundor | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) | Pakatan Harapan (AMANAH) |
| N22 | Gurun | Barisan Nasional (MCA) | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) |
| N23 | Belantek | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N24 | Jeneri | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N26 | Tanjong Dawai | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N27 | Pantai Merdeka | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N30 | Bayu | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N31 | Kupang | Barisan Nasional (UMNO) | Gagasan Sejahtera (PAS) |
| N35 | Kulim | Barisan Nasional (MCA) | Pakatan Harapan (PKR) |

## Aftermath

Pakatan Harapan contest in Kedah for the first time using one of its component party logo, PKR. As the result, PH was able to wrest half of the 36 state seats, comprising most of the mixed seats including Malay/Muslim majority seats in the urban and semi-urban areas, as well as the only single Chinese-majority state seats of Kota Darul Aman that was retained by its other component party, DAP since 2008.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) that was formerly established its new state government for the first time for a term between 2008 and 2013 via Pakatan Rakyat (PR, together with PKR and DAP on that time), was seen its influence again by dominating in predominantly Malay/Muslim majority seats (which was mainly in rural areas) despite gaining only 15 seats, additional another 6 seats compared to the previous election (9 seats). At the same time, it was the shock defeat for Barisan Nasional (BN), especially UMNO where it manage to retain just 3 seats compared to 21 seats in the previous state election (all the 3 seats was only retained by UMNO). Its other party component, MCA took no seats after the party lost in both seats of Gurun and Kulim to PH (PKR) candidates. Kedah BN leader, UMNO state chairman and previous Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah said that his party accepted their defeat to PH and honoured the people's mandate in the election. An UMNO MLA for Guar Chempedak, Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail, on 12 November 2018 announced his resignation from UMNO and BN to support PH, and later joined BERSATU. This made PH held 19 seats, enough for a simple majority in the Assembly.
The Pakatan Harapan state government led by Mukhriz however only lasts for 25 months, when in the wake of 2020 Malaysian political crisis, exit of Bersatu MLAs from PH and defection of support from ex-PH members turned independent, resulted in Mukhriz resignation as Menteri Besar. A new state government was formed in a coalition between BN (UMNO), Perikatan Nasional (Bersatu and PAS) and independent (ex-PKR) MLAs, with Sanusi Mohd Nor from PAS appointed as the new Menteri Besar on 17 May 2020. Mukhriz and Amiruddin Hamzah was later sacked from Bersatu on 28 May 2020, and they formed a new political party, PEJUANG on August that same year with other ex-Bersatu members.