Saifuddin Nasution Ismail | |
|---|---|
| سيف الدين ناسوتيون إسماعيل | |
 Saifuddin in 2023 | |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
| Assumed office 3 December 2022 | |
| Monarchs | Abdullah (2022–2024) Ibrahim (since 2024) |
| Prime Minister | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Deputy | Shamsul Anuar Nasarah |
| Preceded by | Hamzah Zainudin |
| Constituency | Senator |
| Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs | |
| In office 2 July 2018 – 24 February 2020 | |
| Monarchs | Muhammad V (2018–2019) Abdullah (2019–2020) |
| Prime Minister | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Deputy | Chong Chieng Jen |
| Preceded by | Hamzah Zainudin (Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism) |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Nanta Linggi |
| Constituency | Kulim-Bandar Baharu |
| Advisor of the Management Committee of thePeople's Justice Party | |
| Assumed office 15 September 2024 | |
| President | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Secretary-General of the People's Justice Party | |
| In office 25 November 2016 – 15 September 2024 | |
| President | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (2016–2018) Anwar Ibrahim (2018–2024) |
| Preceded by | Rafizi Ramli |
| Succeeded by | Fuziah Salleh |
| In office 31 January 2010 – 13 October 2014 | |
| President | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail |
| Preceded by | Salehuddin Hashim |
| Succeeded by | Rafizi Ramli |
| Chief Secretary ofPakatan Harapan | |
| Assumed office 1 March 2020 | |
| President | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail |
| Chairman | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Preceded by | Saifuddin Abdullah |
| State Chairman of the Pakatan Harapan ofKedah | |
| Assumed office 7 February 2025 | |
| President | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail |
| National Chairman | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Preceded by | Mahfuz Omar |
| Senator Appointed by theYang di-Pertuan Agong | |
| Assumed office 3 December 2022 | |
| Monarchs | Abdullah (2022–2024) Ibrahim (since 2024) |
| Prime Minister | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Member of theMalaysian Parliament forKulim-Bandar Baharu | |
| In office 9 May 2018 – 19 November 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (BN–UMNO) |
| Succeeded by | Roslan Hashim (PN–BERSATU) |
| Majority | 4,860 (2018) |
| Member of theMalaysian Parliament forMachang | |
| In office 8 March 2008 – 5 May 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Sazmi Miah (BN–UMNO) |
| Succeeded by | Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (BN–UMNO) |
| Majority | 1,460 (2008) |
| Member of thePenang State Legislative Assembly forPantai Jerejak | |
| In office 9 May 2018 – 12 August 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mohd Rashid Hasnon (PH–PKR) |
| Succeeded by | Fahmi Zainol (PH–PKR) |
| Majority | 10,716 (2018) |
| Member of theKedah State Legislative Assembly forLunas | |
| In office 29 November 2000 – 21 March 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Fernandez (BN–MIC) |
| Succeeded by | Ganesan Subramaniam (BN–MIC) |
| Majority | 530 (2000) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail (1963-12-07)7 December 1963 (age 61) |
| Citizenship |  Malaysia |
| Nationality | Malaysia |
| Political party |  United Malays National Organisation (UMNO)(1989–1999)  National Justice Party (keADILan)(1999–2003) People's Justice Party (PKR)(2003–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Barisan Nasional (BN) (1989–1999) Barisan Alternatif (BA) (1999–2004) Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2008–2015)  Pakatan Harapan (PH)(2015–present) |
| Spouse | Norhayati Musa |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (BSc) Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (MA) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Saifuddin Nasution Ismail onFacebook Saifuddin Nasution Ismail onParliament of Malaysia | |
Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail (Jawi: سيف الدين ناسوتيون بن اسماعيل; born 7 December 1963) is a Malaysian politician who has served as theMinister of Home Affairs in the Unity Government administration underPrime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim and as aSenator since December 2022. He served as theMinister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs in the PH administration under former Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020,Member of Parliament (MP) forKulim-Bandar Baharu from May 2018 to November 2022 and forMachang from March 2008 to May 2013 as well as Member of thePenang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) forPantai Jerejak from May 2018 to August 2023 andKedah MLA forLunas from November 2000 to March 2004. He is a member of thePeople's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH coalition. He has also served as the Chief Secretary of PH since March 2020, State Chairman of PH ofKedah since February 2025 and Advisor of the Management Committee of PKR since September 2024. He previously served as the Secretary-General of PKR from January 2010 to his resignation in October 2014 and again from November 2016 to September 2024.[1][2]
Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail was born inState of Singapore, Malaysia on 7 December 1963. The name 'Nasution' can be linked to the lineage ofBatak Mandailing inCentral Sumatra,Indonesia.[3]
Saifuddin Nasution received hisBachelor of Science (BSc) inAgriculture fromUniversiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) in 1987.
Saifuddin was initially a member ofUMNO Youth wing of the ruling party but was expelled in 1999 as its assistant secretary.[4] An ally ofAnwar Ibrahim, Saifuddin then defected to the opposition KeADILan party, which later became PKR.[5]
Saifuddin election debut was in the1999 general election contesting the seat ofPadang Serai, Kedah for PKR but lost. A year later, he won theKedah State Assembly seat ofLunas in a2000 by-election.[6] However, he failed in his bid to be elevated to thefederal Parliament in the2004 election, losing to Lim Bee Kau of theBarisan Nasional in the seat of Padang Serai again.[7] In the2008 election, Saifuddin contested and won the federal seat of Machang in Kelantan.[8] For the2013 election, he returned to Kedah to contest the seat ofKulim-Bandar Baharu, but was defeated by UMNO'sAbdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir.[9] Fortunately in the2018 general election, Saifuddin made a comeback to win both the Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentary seat and Pantai Jerejak, Penang state seat but lost his parliamentary seat in2022. He later was appointed as a Senator to serve as a minister inAnwar Ibrahim cabinet.
In January 2010, Saifuddin was appointed the Secretary-General of PKR, replacing Salehuddin Hashim.[10] In the2014 party election, he vacated the post to run for the party's deputy presidency, but was defeated byMohamed Azmin Ali.[11] He was once again appointed to the post of PKR Secretary-General in November 2016, this time to replaceRafizi Ramli.[12][13] He once again ran for the Deputy President post in the2022 party election, but ultimately lost to Rafizi Ramli.
On 9 December 2022, Saifuddin stated that he had been briefed by Immigration Department officials about a viral video and photos circulating on social media, depicting emaciated detainees allegedly at the Kimanis detention center who were seen appealing to be freed and speaking about their ill-treatment. He expressed that it was 'unfair' for the issue to be sensationalized and urged the media to report objectively.[14] Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) had expressed that it was unacceptable and contrary to good governance for Saifuddin to outrightly dismiss the complaints made by a detainee in a video, instead of ordering an inquiry.[15]
On 13 December 2022, Saifuddin stated that a review ofSosma was unnecessary as the law was essential for addressing organized crime-related cases. He mentioned that Sosma allowed the court process to proceed.[16] His statement drew brickbats from human rights organisations and politicians.[17][18][19]
On 16 February 2023, Saifuddin said Sosma will be strengthened as it is still relevant for maintaining national security.[20][21]Malaysians Against Death Penalty & Torture (Madpet) said that Saifuddin does not understand the rule of law and the administration of criminal justice; they also called for his resignation.[22]
In April 2023, several journalist groups have criticized Saifuddin for reversing Pakatan Harapan's pledge to review and repeal 'draconian Acts' such as thePrinting Presses and Publications Act 1984. The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) executive director, Wathshlah Naidu, stated that Putrajaya's decision to retain the law appears to be a recurring practice among elected governments that backtrack on their election pledges for their own benefit.[23]
In May 2023, swiss watchmaker Swatch has reported that Malaysian authorities seized 164 rainbow-colored watches from its Pride collection, with an estimated total value of US$14,000. The confiscation occurred during raids conducted on 13-14 May at eleven shopping malls across Malaysia, including outlets in the capital Kuala Lumpur. The watches were confiscated based on the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, which is criticized by some as draconian and often utilized to prevent content that may offend or undermine race relations.
The incident took place in a country where LGBT individuals face discrimination due to the illegality of homosexuality and the potential penalties of imprisonment and corporal punishment for sodomy, although enforcement is infrequent. The watches in question were described as having "LGBT elements" and were said to feature six colors, rather than the traditional seven colors of a rainbow. Swatch Group CEO Nick Hayek expressed disagreement, asserting that the watches, which carry a message of peace and love, should not be considered harmful.
Despite the seizure, Swatch Malaysia's marketing manager, Sarah Kok, confirmed that they would continue replenishing stock and displaying the watches as instructed by the Swiss headquarters. The company expressed confusion over the enforcement unit's actions, wondering how they would handle the numerous natural rainbows that occur frequently in Malaysia's skies.[24][25][26]
On 10 August 2023, under the leadership of Saifuddin, the home ministry has banned all Swatch products that contain any elements related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) individuals, whether on the watches themselves, their boxes, or wrappers. The ministry stated that this ban has been officially declared under the Printing Presses and Publications (Prohibition of Undesirable Publications) Order 2023, citing Swatch products as potentially "prejudicial to morality." Individuals who possess such products from Swatch may face penalties of up to three years' imprisonment, a maximum fine of RM20,000, or both, if found guilty.[27][28]
Saifuddin Nasution is married to Norhayati Musa and shared 4 children. One of his son, Arham Rahimin Nasution Saifuddin Nasution, continued his studies inEgypt at a study center known as Ma'ahad Buuth Islamiyyah under the patronage ofAl-Azhar. And now his son has continued his studies inCape Town,South Africa because of his ambition to follow in his father's footsteps as a politician.
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | N34Lunas | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (KeADILan) | 10,511 | 50.66% | S.Anthonysamy (MIC) | 9,981 | 48.10% | 20,746 | 530 | 77.58% | ||
| N.Letchumanan (IND) | 50 | 0.24% | ||||||||||
| 2004 | N16Kubang Rotan | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 6,527 | 31.09% | Syed Razak Syed Zain Barakbah (UMNO) | 14,468 | 68.91% | 21,415 | 7,941 | 78.36% | ||
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | N36Pantai Jerejak | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 14,014 | 73.50% | Oh Tong Keong (Gerakan) | 3,298 | 17.30% | 19,315 | 10,716 | 81.70% | ||
| Mohd Farhan Yusri (PAS) | 1,670 | 8.80% | ||||||||||
| Yim Boon Leong (MUP) | 97 | 0.40% | ||||||||||
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | P017Padang Serai | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (KeADILan) | 18,023 | 38.53% | Lim Bee Kau (MCA) | 27,395 | 58.56% | 46,778 | 9.372 | 72.75% | ||
| 2004 | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 15,953 | 37.78% | Lim Bee Kau (MCA) | 26,269 | 62.22% | 43,307 | 10,316 | 80.31% | |||
| 2008 | P029Machang | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 21,041 | 50.71% | Sazmi Miah (UMNO) | 19,581 | 47.19% | 51,372 | 1,460 | 86.74% | ||
| 2013 | P018Kulim-Bandar Baharu | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 24,911 | 47.42% | Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (UMNO) | 26,782 | 50.98% | 52,766 | 1,871 | 86.63% | ||
| 2018 | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 23,159 | 42.62% | Abd Aziz Sheikh Fadzir (UMNO) | 18,299 | 33.67% | 55,390 | 4,860 | 83.18% | |||
| Hassan Abdul Razak (PAS) | 12,885 | 23.71% | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR) | 21,408 | 30.44% | Roslan Hashim (BERSATU) | 34,469 | 49.00% | 71,616 | 13,061 | 79.40% | |||
| Muhar Hussain (UMNO) | 13,872 | 19.72% | ||||||||||
| Mohd Yusrizal Yusuf (PEJUANG) | 591 | 0.84% | ||||||||||
Malaysia
Recipient of the17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2024)
Kedah.svg)
Knight Companion of theOrder of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah (DSDK) –Dato' (2012)[33]
Recipient of the Sultan Abdul Halim Golden Jubilee Medal (2008)
Recipient of the Sultan Sallehuddin Installation Medal (2018)
Malacca
Grand Commander of theExalted Order of Malacca (DGSM) –Datuk Seri (2018)[34]
Sabah
Grand Commander of theOrder of Kinabalu (SPDK) –Datuk Seri Panglima (2025)[35][36]
Media related toSaifuddin Nasution Ismail at Wikimedia Commons
