Idris Haron

Idris bin Haron (born 13 May 1966 ) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 10th Chief Minister of Melaka from May 2013 to May 2018, Member of the Melaka State Executive Council (EXCO) from March 2020 to his resignation in October 2021, Member of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sungai Udang from May 2013 to November 2021, Deputy Minister of Higher Education from March 2008 to April 2009 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tangga Batu from March 2004 to May 2013.

Internationally, he is President of the World Assembly of Youth.

He is a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.

He was also member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

Idris is married with four children.

For his primary education, he went to four different schools: Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan (SRK) Simpang Bekoh, SRK Belading, SRK Asahan from 1973 to 1977 and SRK Kubu from 1977 till 1978.

He received his secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Sains Muzaffar Syah (MOZAC), Melaka from 1979 till 1983.

At MOZAC, he became the school's best student.

He later pursued his tertiary education at University of Texas at El Paso and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

His ambition was to become a pilot but he changed his mind to become an electrical engineer instead during interviews.

He launched "Don't Mess With Melaka", modeled after a 1986 "Don't Mess With Texas" campaign in a bid against littering, crime and social ills.

The goal of the campaign was to ensure the state remained one of the cleanest in the country.

The statewide campaign used T-shirt and billboard advertising.

The campaign's slogan drew criticism on the basis that it could seem to promote gangsterism.

Idris defended the slogan, saying that it was a way to grasp the attention of youths through creative and aggressive marketing.

He was the Chairman of the Malaysian Student Conference until he graduated in 1989.

In 1993 he participated in an intensive Japanese language training at ITM before pursuing further studies in a technical field at the Kensyu Centre in Tokyo, Japan.

He has trained by the Kandenko Corporation Ltd for six months in Tokyo, Japan, in the field of electrical distribution systems.

Before his election to Parliament, Idris was chairman of the Alor Gajah district council.

Idris was elected to federal parliament in the 2004 election for the newly created seat of Tangga Batu.

In his first year in Parliament, Idris made international news for complaining that the outfits worn by stewardesses on Malaysia Airlines would result in male passengers sexually harassing the stewardesses.

After the 2008 election, Idris was appointed a Deputy Minister for Higher Education in the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The project, which began on 5 November 2012 and completed in February 2015, is aimed at making 129.64 hectares of the Big Island and houses resorts and historic areas, as one of the major tourism products in Melaka.

The upgrading of Sekolah Menengah Agama Dan Tahfiz Al-Quran Pulau Besar Melaka is also ongoing to provide students with greater comfort to memorize the Koran.

He has planned to develop Pulau Besar as a tourist island in the state.

In the 2013 election, Idris vacated his federal parliamentary seat to contest the seat of Sungai Udang in the Malacca State Legislative Assembly.

The move was far from a demotion: it was carried out by the Barisan Nasional coalition to install him as the Chief Minister of Malacca, replacing Mohd Ali Rustam.

The coalition retained its majority in the state assembly and Idris was sworn in as Malacca's tenth Chief Minister.

He continued the legacy of his predecessor, Mohd Ali Rustam, but with opposing style by establishing "Melaka Maju-Fasa Dua" (Progressive Melaka-Phase Two).

He set up four principles under this umbrella.

Under his leadership, Melaka obtained its biggest investment ever in her history of RM 4.38 billion in 2014.

The waterfront of Melaka, stretching as far as 73 kilometers, were also upgraded for future beach port.

In 2016, Malacca become the safest place to live in Malaysia.

In March 2016, preliminary allocations were given to repair the mosque and food court on the island, besides the construction of a Maahad Tahfiz.

Focus is on basic development before being followed by other facilities, including an international standard food court.

When all the repair and construction work on the island is completed, it will be able to become an international resort island capable of attracting many visitors.

The development process in the island is run in stages.

The state crime rates dropped by 15.5 per cent in 2017 with 3,096 cases recorded compared to 3,663 in 2016.

The State Socioeconomic Report 2017 published on 26 July 2018 reported that Malacca was the state that recorded the lowest unemployment rate in 2017 with only 1.0 percent.

He headed the Big Island (Pulau Besar) redevelopment project starting with electricity supply to Big Island involving 12 towers from 4.7 kilometers of Siring Beach which will supply electricity at a capacity of five megawatts to a Maximum Capacity of 132 megawatts.