Malaysian politician
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal bin Wan Ahmad Kamal (Jawi: وان أحمد فيصل بن وان أحمد کمال; born 8 May 1987) otherwise known as 'Wan Fayhsal' or WAF, is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Machang since November 2022. He served as the Deputy Minister of National Unity in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique from August 2021 to the collapse of the BN administration in November 2022. Prior to that he was Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican from March 2020 to the collapse of the PN administration in August 2021. He previously served as a Senator from March 2020 to his resignation in November 2022. He is a Supreme Council Member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the PN coalition. He has also served as the 2nd Youth Chief of BERSATU from August 2020 to October 2024 and Deputy Youth Chief II of PN.
Early life and education
He grew up and received primary schooling in the neighbourhood of Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur before moving to Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor, a science-focused boarding school in nearby Cheras. He obtained his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP).[1]
He also took courses in Islamic theology and metaphysics, philosophy, ethics and history at the International Institute of Islamic Civilisation and Malay World (ISTAC), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and later at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), University of Technology Malaysia.[citation needed]
He earned his Master of Arts in Geopolitics (Territorial Security) from King's College London[2] on 23 January 2019. His thesis was titled "The Encircling Dragon: Deciphering China's Geo-economic Expansionism in Peninsular Malaysia".
Early career
Upon graduation, he worked at Malaysia's national oil and gas company PETRONAS as a Business and Strategic Planning Executive under the Technology and Engineering (T&E) Division.
On 1 April 2010, he became Senior Executive of the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU), and was one of the individuals responsible for establishing the Bumiputera Education Steering Foundation (PENERAJU) under the Prime Minister's Department.[citation needed]
He served as assistant lecturer at the Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS) before he became a Research Fellow at the Putra Business School, Universiti Putra Malaysia.[3] He was also active writing on various issues including business and geopolitics on various publications including New Straits Times, The Star, Global Research, Asia Times and The Edge.
Political career
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports and Deputy Minister of National Unity (2020-2022)
He was Special Tasks Officer to then Minister of Youth and Sports, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman from late 2018 until early 2020.[4] Following the fall of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government due to 'Sheraton Move', he was appointed Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports under the Cabinet of Muhyiddin Yassin.[5] On the same day, he swore in as a Senator (member of Dewan Negara or Malaysian Senate) to qualify him for a cabinet post.[6]
On 16 August 2020, he succeeded Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman as the head of ARMADA, the youth wing of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) in the party's first election. Syed Saddiq, a founding member of BERSATU and its inaugural, pro-tem youth chief, was earlier sacked from BERSATU amidst a political crisis.[7] Wan Ahmad Fayhsal was subsequently appointed the Deputy Chief II of Perikatan Nasional's youth wing.
After Muhyiddin Yassin tendered his cabinet's resignation upon losing his parliamentary majority after at least 15 Members of Parliament from UMNO withdrew their support for the ruling coalition, he became the Deputy Minister of National Unity in the Ismail Sabri Administration.
Member of Parliament for Machang (2022- present)
In the 15th Malaysian general election, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal won the parliamentary seat in Machang. As MP for Machang, he called for the Prime Minister post to be limited for Malays only.[8]
Personal life
His younger brother Wan Kuzain is a professional soccer player in the United States.[9][10]
Election Results
See Also
References
