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.

2023 Penang state election
12 August 2023
All 40 seats in the Penang State Legislative Assembly
21 seats needed for a majority
Turnout72.67%
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Chow Kon Yeow
Musa Sheikh Fadzir		 Dominic Lau Hoe Chai
Party DAP
UMNO		 GERAKAN
Alliance Pakatan Harapan
Barisan Nasional
Parties
 Perikatan Nasional
Parties
Leader since 21 May 2019
16 July 2018		 12 June 2022
Leader's seat Padang Kota
 Bayan Lepas (defeated)
Last election 37 seats, 82.00%
(Pakatan Harapan)[na 1]		 3 seats, 17.34%[nb 1]
Seats before 35 1
Seats won 29 11
Seat change Decrease 6 Increase 10
Popular vote 583,126 290,514
Percentage 66.16% 32.96%
Swing Decrease 15.84% Increase 15.62%
Chief Minister of Penang before election

Chow Kon Yeow
PH (DAP)

 Chief Minister of Penang after election

Chow Kon Yeow
PH (DAP)

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.[1]

In the state election, the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Pakatan Harapan (PH) electoral pact won 29 of 40 seats, with PH winning 27 of those 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
Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan + Barisan Nasional is the main coalition in this state election, photo taken at Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth
Tun Lim Chong Eu highway Sungai Pinang intersection during campaign period

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.[2]

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.

Electoral map of Penang. showing all 40 constituencies
Breakdown of 2022 Malaysian general election result by state constituency in 2022, where PH in   Red, PN in   Blue-green and BN in   blue

Composition before dissolution
Government Confidence and supply Opposition
PH BN PN
33 2 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.[3]
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.[4]
N36 Pantai Jerejak Saifuddin Nasution Ismail Not contesting state election.[5] (Senator)
N3 Pinang Tunggal Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman 22 July 2023 Dropped by party.
N12 Penanti Norlela Ariffin 2013
N20 Sungai Bakap Amar Pritpal Abdullah 2018
N24 Kebun Bunga Jason Ong Khan Lee 2008
N37 Batu Maung Abdul Halim Hussain 2018
N7 Sungai Puyu Phee Boon Poh PH (DAP) 25 July 2023 1990 Dropped by party.
N8 Bagan Jermal Soon Lip Chee 2013
N15 Padang Lalang Chong Eng 1995
N16 Perai Ramasamy Palanisamy 2008
N34 Paya Terubong Yeoh Soon Hin
N32 Seri Delima Syerleena Abdul Rashid 2018 Not contesting state election (MP for Bukit Bendera).
N25 Pulau Tikus Chris Lee Chun Kit Not contesting state election.[6]
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 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
Barisan Nasional + Pakatan Harapan[7][8][9][10]

Perikatan Nasional[11]

MUDA + PSM electoral pact[12][13]

 Other parties/Independents[14]
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
N02 Bertam 23,999 Vacant[nc 1][15] Reezal Merican Naina Merican UMNO Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq BERSATU
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
N05 Sungai Dua 28,100 Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor BN (UMNO) Shaik Hussein Mydin UMNO Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff PAS
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
N08 Bagan Jermal 32,529 Soon Lip Chee PH (DAP) Chee Yeeh Keen DAP Ong Chuan Jin BERSATU
N09 Bagan Dalam 21,221 Satees Muniandy PH (DAP) Kumaran Krishnan DAP Jayaraman Kunchu Kannu PAS S. Rajasakanan PFP Satees Muniandy[16] IND
P044 Permatang Pauh N10 Seberang Jaya 49,215 Vacant[nc 2][15] Johari Kassim PKR Izhar Shah Arif Shah BERSATU
N11 Permatang Pasir 30,464 Muhammad Faiz Fadzil PH (AMANAH) Muhammad Faiz Fadzil AMANAH Amir Hamzah Abdul Hashim PAS
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
N14 Machang Bubok 56,538 Lee Khai Loon PH (PKR) Lee Khai Loon PKR Tan Hum Wei GERAKAN
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[17] IND
N17 Bukit Tengah 31,635 Gooi Hsiao Leung PH (PKR) Gooi Hsiao Leung PKR Baljit Singh Jigiri Singh GERAKAN
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
N20 Sungai Bakap 38,409 Amar Pritpal Abdullah PH (PKR) Nurhidayah Che Rus PKR Nor Zamri Latiff PAS
N21 Sungai Acheh 26,095 Vacant[nc 3][15] 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
N23 Air Putih 15,371 Lim Guan Eng PH (DAP) Lim Guan Eng DAP Koh Cheng Ann GERAKAN Teh Yee Cheu PRM
N24 Kebun Bunga 24,532 Jason Ong Khan Lee PH (PKR) Lee Boon Heng PKR Tan Zhen Zune GERAKAN Razalif Mohamad Zain IND
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
N27 Pengkalan Kota 21,568 Gooi Zi Sen PH (DAP) Wong Yuee Harng DAP Suthakaran Subramaniam GERAKAN
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
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
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
N33 Air Itam 23,085 Joseph Ng Soon Seong PH (DAP) Joseph Ng Soon Seong DAP Cheang Chee Gooi GERAKAN
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
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
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
N39 Pulau Betong 23,838 Mohd Tuah Ismail PH (PKR) Mohd Tuah Ismail PKR Mohamad Shukor Zakariah PAS
N40 Telok Bahang 17,927 Vacant[nc 4][15] 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% [18]

Results
Results of the August 2023 Penang state election, by party.
Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
Pakatan Harapan + Barisan NasionalDemocratic Action Party313,73135.26190
People's Justice Party202,52222.767–7
United Malays National Organisation49,4765.5620
National Trust Party25,8802.911–1
Total591,60966.4829–8
Perikatan NasionalParti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia85,0039.5500
Malaysian United Indigenous Party96,00310.794+2
Malaysian Islamic Party109,50812.317+6
Total290,51432.6511+8
Parti Rakyat Malaysia1,8740.210New
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance + Socialist Party of Malaysia electoral pactMalaysian United Democratic Alliance1,5280.170New
Total1,5280.1700
Penang Front Party3330.0400
Independents3,9960.4500
Total889,854100.0040–

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)

Notes
    1. Cooperation between PH and BN with 35 seats and 2 seats
    1. New coalition formed in 2020. These numbers are the total seats and vote share of BERSATU, PAS and GERAKAN in the last election. The parties were previously part of Pakatan Harapan, Gagasan Sejahtera and Barisan Nasional.
    1. The seat was won by Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq in the 2018 Penang state election as a candidate of Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU). BERSATU exited PH in March 2020, and created a new coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN). Khaliq was vacated from his seat in an approved motion in the Penang state assembly on 6 March 2023.
    2. The seat was won by Afif Bahardin in the 2018 Penang state election as a candidate of Pakatan Harapan (PKR). He later exited PH and PKR in March 2020, and joined BERSATU and Perikatan Nasional (PN). Afif was vacated from his seat in an approved motion in the Penang state assembly on 6 March 2023.
    3. The seat was won by Zulkifli Ibrahim in the 2018 Penang state election as a candidate of Pakatan Harapan (PKR). He later exited PH and PKR in March 2020, and joined BERSATU and Perikatan Nasional (PN). Zulkifli was vacated from his seat in an approved motion in the Penang state assembly on 6 March 2023.
    4. The seat was won by Zolkifly Mohd Lazim in the 2018 Penang state election as a candidate of Pakatan Harapan (BERSATU). BERSATU exited PH in March 2020, and created a new coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN). Zolkifly was vacated from his seat in an approved motion in the Penang state assembly on 6 March 2023.

    References
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