He was first appointed to the State Executive Council in 2004 and served three consecutive terms until 2018, during which he oversaw the education portfolio and played a key role in shaping policies on education and human capital development.

Following the formation of the Unity Government after the 15th state election, the Kuala Pilah UMNO Division chief returned to the State Executive Council as Chairman of the Education and Human Capital Action Committee.

Born in Juasseh, Kuala Pilah, Ismail received his early education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pusat Juasseh before continuing at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan King George V.

He later obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) degree from the University of Malaya and went on to build a career as a lawyer.

He is married to Datin Noraishah Othman, and they have five children.

Beyond his experience in government, Ismail is also a seasoned UMNO leader. He currently serves as Negeri Sembilan UMNO Information Chief and has held various leadership positions within the party over the years.

In addition to his legal background, he has experience in corporate management, having served at the board of directors level.

Ismail first won the Senaling state seat in 1999 before successfully contesting the Juasseh seat in the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election, where he defeated Mohd Aidil Abdullah of Pakatan Harapan and Mohd Zuhaimi Md Yusof of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia with a majority of 4,091 votes.

Barisan Nasional (BN) won 18 of the state seats in the election, while Perikatan Nasional (PN) secured seven, enabling the two coalitions to form the state government with a two-thirds majority.

For the latest news on the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/n9.

-- BERNAMA