2023 Kuala Terengganu by-election

The 2023 Kuala Terengganu by-election is a by-election that were held on 12 August 2023 for the Dewan Rakyat seat of Kuala Terengganu. It was called following the disqualification of incumbent, Ahmad Amzad Hashim on 27 June 2023.

The election is the first by-election since GE15 and the second by-election that was held in the constituency since 2009. The by-election was held concurrently with the 2023 Terengganu state election.

Amzad was re-elected as the Kuala Terengganu MP in the by-election with a majority of 47,266 votes over the other candidate.

Background
Kuala Terengganu is a Malay/Muslim-majority seat comprising predominantly 90.8% of the overall voters, followed by 8.6% Chinese, 0.5% Indians and 0.2% of other ethnicities.

Ahmad Amzad, a member of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) of Perikatan Nasional (PN) was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kuala Terengganu in Terengganu defeating Mohd Zubir Embong of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, Raja Kamarul Bahrin of the National Trust Party (AMANAH) of Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and Mohamad Abu Bakar Muda of the Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (PUTRA) of Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition by a majority of 40,907 votes in 2022 general election (GE15).

On 27 June 2023, the Terengganu Election Court annulled the results of the Kuala Terengganu seat in the 2022 general election. With this, Ahmad Amzad lost his seat and was disqualified as an MP with immediate effect. Judge Mohd Firuz Jaffril ruled that the petitioner and the BN candidate in the election Mohd Zubir succeeded in proving that corruption had taken place with the aim of influencing voters in the election. He added that although Mohd Zubir was not presented as a witness, other evidence was sufficient to declare the results null and void. The court also ordered Ahmad Amzad to pay RM50,000 to Mohd Zubir and allowed Ahmad Amzad to file an appeal within 14 days. Ahmad Amzad was represented by lawyer Wan Rohimi Wan Daud while Mohd Zubir was by lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun. Wan Rohimi stressed that they would file a notice of appeal to the Federal Court. However, on 8 July 2023, Wan Rohimi announced that Ahmad Amzad and PAS had decided not to do so and hoped that the by-election triggered by the decision would be held simultaneously with the state elections on 12 August 2023, a move that has raised eyebrows from AMANAH, which its deputy president Salahuddin Ayub stated that it was as if PAS themselves had admitted that there were elements of corruption and they were simply admitting to it. On 18 July 2023, the Election Commission (EC) announced the key dates of the by-election, which are to be held simultaneously with the state elections.

Nomination
On 22 July 2023, Prime Minister and Chairman of Pakatan Harapan (PH) Anwar Ibrahim announced that the coalition would nominate former Member of Parliament (MP) for Indera Mahkota and former Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Bandar Azan Ismail to contest for the seat. BN did not contest for the seat as a result of paving the way for PH in respect of the political cooperation between the two coalitions. On 27 July 2023, State Commissioner of PAS of Terengganu, Husain Awang announced that PN would renominate Ahmad Amzad to defend the seat again. On the nomination day on 29 July 2023, Azan and Ahmad Amzad were officially nominated as the candidates for the seat in the by-election.

For the by-election, Perikatan Nasional has decided to use the PAS logo and name for its candidate.

Timeline
The key dates are listed below.

Aftermath
Amzad, the winner of the by-election, were sworn in as the new MLA for Kuala Terengganu on 5 September, before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul in the Parliamentary Special Chamber at Dewan Rakyat.