Zainal Abidin Ahmad (politician)

This is a Malay name; the name Abidin Ahmad is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Zainal.

Yang Berhormat Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Hulu Selangor, Selangor
In office 8 March 2008 – 25 March 2010
Preceded by	G. Palanivel (MIC) – (BN)
Succeeded by	P. Kamalanathan (MIC) – (BN)
Deputy Menteri Besar of Selangor
In office 1995–1999
Member of the State Assembly of Selangor for Dusun Tua
In office 1990–2004
Succeeded by	Rahmad Musa (UMNO) – (BN)
Personal details
Born	10 October 1939 Selangor, British Malaya
Died	25 March 2010 (aged 70)
Political party	Keadilan – Pakatan Rakyat (formerly UMNO)
Spouse(s)	Siti Zaharah Mohd Zin
Children	4
Occupation	Politician

Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad (10 October 1939 – 25 March 2010) was a Malaysian politician. He was the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Hulu Selangor constituency in Selangor until his death in 2010. He was a member of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party in the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition.

Zainal Abidin was a member of the State Assembly of Selangor from 1990 for the UMNO party before being omitted from the ticket of the governing Barisan Nasional coalition for the 2004 election. From 1995 to 1999 he served as Deputy Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) and on the Selangor Executive Council.

Zainal Abidin switched to the opposition Keadilan party in 2005. In the 2008 election, Zainal won the federal seat of Hulu Selangor, unseating the incumbent Barisan Nasional member by a narrow margin of 198 votes.

Zainal Abidin died on 25 March 2010 from brain cancer, triggering a by-election in Hulu Selangor which was won by YB P. Kamalanathan of (MIC) – (BN). He is survived by his wife Datin Siti Zaharah Mohd Zin and four children.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia: P94 Hulu Selangor, Selangor

Year		Opposition	Votes	Pct		Barisan Nasional	Votes	Pct
2008		Zainal Abidin Ahmad (PKR)	23,177	48.7%		G. Palanivel (MIC)	22,979	48.2%