Abdul Hadi Awang

Abdul Hadi bin Awang (Jawi: عبدالهادي بن اواڠ; born 20 October 1947) is a Malaysian politician and religious teacher who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Marang since October 1990, 7th President of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), an Islamist political party and a component party of Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, since July 2002. He served as Leader of the Opposition from July 2002 to March 2004, Menteri Besar of Terengganu from December 1999 to March 2004 and Member of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Ru Rendang from 1986 until 2018. At the international level, he formerly served as vice-president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. Hadi received his education in neighbourhood schools before furthering his studies at the Islamic University of Madinah between 1969 and 1973, and later at Al-Azhar University. Upon his return to Malaysia, he joined Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) in 1977, where he quickly became its Terengganu state chief. A year later, Hadi joined the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and contested a parliamentary seat in the 1978 general election. He rose quickly through the ranks. He became PAS deputy president in 1989 when Fadzil Noor was elected to the party presidency. He remained deputy president until 2002, when Fadzil died of a heart attack, resulting in Hadi succeeding him as PAS President. Hadi Awang is a highly controversial politician in Malaysia. Since the 1980s he has routinely made incendiary remarks against non-Muslim minorities as well as Malay Muslims who do not subscribe to his ultraconservative religious views. Consequently, he has often been the target of investigation by the Malaysian police. Early life and family