He is also book smart with a diploma in banking, a degree in management, and a masters in business administration.
The 35-year-old also went to an Islamic school in his secondary years and could “hafaz” (memorise) the entire Quran.
Akmal was also a Seberang Perai city councillor for close to two years after 2018, when he was with PKR. Before that, he served with the Penang government in the community relations exco office, assisting then deputy chief minister Rashid Hasnon.
He left PKR in 2020 to pursue his MBA, he said, partly because of the incessant infighting at the party leadership.
But Akmal has never revealed such matters while campaigning in Tasek Gelugor, a Malay majority seat which stretches from Telok Ayer Tawar to Permatang Berangan. Chinese make up 14.7% of the voters, Indians 6.5%, and others 0.48%.
“All I say to voters here is that I am local, young and energetic boy from Kampung Lahar Yooi, while the others are from KL or Kelantan, excluding Pak Chop,” he told FMT, referring to BN’s Yusoff “Pak Chop” Noor, 59, another candidate in the running.
Yusoff, a local resident, has been the Sungai Dua assemblyman for three terms and is the opposition leader in the state assembly.
“The youngsters here don’t want Umno or another old person to represent them. They trust a young contender and a local person. The older folk, too, are tired of the former MPs leaping from one party to another,” Akmal said.
“If I’m elected, my door will always be open. In fact, my home at Kampung Lahar Yooi is always open, there are no gates. People are free to walk in to ask for help.”
Former Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya was previously with Umno, but left the party to join Bersatu in December 2018.
Akmal said he has been going from door to door to distribute flyers, and many residents have shown a keen interest in Warisan.
He admitted that the party is new in Penang politics, but added: “If Umno can set up shop in Sabah, why can’t Warisan? It is the cleanest party today and their leaders are free from corruption cases.”
He said many voters in Tasek Gelugor are no longer supporting any particular party, preferring to choose candidates on their merits.
“Lest we forget, this seat was won by Shabudin (while in Umno) with an 81-vote majority (in 2018). It is no longer a BN fixed deposit like before.”
The five-cornered fight will see Akmal and Yusoff go against Nik Abdul Razak Nik Md Ridzuan of Pakatan Harapan, Dr Halim Sher Jung (Pejuang) and Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN).