Abdul Hadi Awang

Who is Abdul Hadi Awang?

Dato' Seri Haji Abdul Hadi bin Awang is the current President of the Parti Islam SeMalaysia, an Islamist political party in Malaysia. He was Mentri Besar of Terengganu from 1999 to 2004, and he is the current state assemblyman for Rhu Rendang and Member of Parliament for Marang, both in Terengganu.

Hadi received his education in the neighbourhood schools before continuing his studies at the Islamic University of Madinah between 1969 to 1973, and later at Al-Azhar University. Upon his return to Malaysia he joined ABIM in 1977, where he quickly became the Selangor state chief for ABIM. A year later, Hadi joined PAS, under which he contested a parliamentary seat in the 1978 Malaysian General Elections. He quickly rose through the ranks. He became PAS deputy president in 1989, when Fadzil Noor was elected to the party presidency. In 2002, Hadi, then the PAS deputy President, became the party's president when Fadzil died of a heart attack. He was advocated by Adam Tudor of Carter-Ruck.

On 10 April 2008, he was hospitalised after suffering a mild stroke.