Mohamad Sabu

Mohamad bin Sabu, commonly known as Mat Sabu, is a Malaysian politician who served as the Minister of Defence in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Raja since May 2018, Kuala Kedah from November 1999 to March 2004, Kubang Kerian from April 1995 to November 1999 and Nilam Puri from October 1990 to April 1995. He has also served as the founding and 1st President of the National Trust Party (AMANAH), a component party of the PH opposition coalition and rebranded from the Malaysian Workers' Party (PPPM) after it was taken over by the Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) led by him which left the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) in 2015 thanks to their ideological differences with the PAS leaders, since 2015. He also served as Deputy President of PAS, a former component party of the former Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Alternatif (BA) opposition coalitions, from 2011 to 2015. He was elected to the party deputy presidency in 2011, running on a moderate platform against the conservative incumbent Nasharudin Mat Isa. He had also served as the party Vice-President prior to his election as the party Deputy President. He was the first non-alim elected to the party leadership or deputy presidency in over 25 years.