He was a former member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Kota Bharu constituency in Kelantan from 2008 to 2013 representing the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition coalition.
[3] In 2004 general election, he contested the federal constituency of Kuala Krai but lost.
[4] He initially sought to retire at the 2013 election, but instead contested the seat of Gua Musang, losing to its long-time incumbent Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
[5] On 30 April 2002, Wan Abdul Rahim was found guilty for the offence of marrying a 22-year-old Cambodian woman, Hassena Osman alias Sowan Rodi in her country on 10 March 2002 without the approval of the Kelantan State Religious Council and sentenced to three days' jail and fined RM1.800 by the Syariah Court.
[6] Wan Abdul Rahim was earlier conferred the Dato' Paduka Jiwa Mahkota Kelantan award which carries the title Dato' when he was the speaker in 2004 by the previous Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan but the award was revoked by his son, Sultan Muhammad V in February 2018.