Salleh Said Keruak

Salleh Said Keruak
صالح سعيد کرواق
Salleh Said Keruak at the ITU Telecom World 2016
Minister of Communications and Multimedia
In office
29 July 2015 – 10 May 2018
Monarchs Abdul Halim
(2015–2016)
Muhammad V
(2016–2018)
Prime Minister Najib Razak
Deputy Jailani Johari
Preceded by Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Succeeded by Gobind Singh Deo
Constituency Senator
9th Chief Minister of Sabah
In office
28 December 1994 – 26 May 1996
Governor Mohammad Said Keruak
Deputy Yong Teck Lee
Preceded by Sakaran Dandai
Succeeded by Yong Teck Lee
Constituency Usukan
Speaker of the
Sabah State Legislative Assembly
In office
31 December 2010 – 28 July 2015
Governor Juhar Mahiruddin
Chief Minister Musa Aman
Preceded by Juhar Mahiruddin
Succeeded by Syed Abas Syed Ali
Constituency Non-MLA
Senator
In office
29 July 2015 – 28 July 2018
Monarchs Abdul Halim
(2015–2016)
Muhammad V
(2016–2018)
Prime Minister Najib Razak
(2015–2018)
Mahathir Mohamad
(2018)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Kota Belud
In office
25 April 1995 – 8 March 2008
Preceded by Paul Maidom Pansai (PBS)
Succeeded by Abdul Rahman Dahlan
(BNUMNO)
Majority 7,131 (1995)
9,216 (1999)
10,421 (2004)
Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly
for Usukan
Assumed office
26 September 2020
Preceded by Japlin Akim
(PN–PPBM)
Majority 4,298 (2020)
In office
5 May 2013 – 8 May 2018
Preceded by Japlin Akim
(BN–UMNO)
Succeeded by Japlin Akim
(BN–UMNO)
Majority 6,812 (2013)
In office
19 February 1994 – 21 March 2004
Preceded by Mustapha Harun
(BN–UMNO)
Succeeded by Japlin Akim
(BN–UMNO)
Majority 2,683 (1994)
3,624 (1999)
Ministerial roles (Sabah)
1994 Deputy Chief Minister
1994 Minister of Finance
2001–2004 Minister of Housing and Local Government
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
1995–2008 Barisan Nasional
Faction represented in Dewan Negara
2015–2018 Barisan Nasional
Faction represented in Sabah State Legislative Assembly
1994–2004 Barisan Nasional
2013–2018 Barisan Nasional
2020– Barisan Nasional
Personal details
Born
Mohd Salleh bin Mohd Said Keruak

10 July 1958
Kota Belud, North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia)
Citizenship Malaysian
Political party Independent (2018-2020)
United Malays National Organisation (-2018, 2020-)
Other political
affiliations
Barisan Nasional (-2018, 2020-)
Perikatan Nasional (PN) (2020-)
Muafakat Nasional (MN) (2020-)
Spouse(s) Raya Erom
(born 21 April 1963)
(m. 1984)
Relations Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (cousin)
Children Mohd. Syarulnizam
(born 1986)
Syazeera (born 1988)
Mohd. Hafeez (born 1996)
Syeera (born 2002)
Parent(s) Mohammad Said Keruak (deceased)
Bandung Hasbollah (deceased)
Residence(s) Likas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (private)
Kota Belud, Sabah (hometown)
Alma mater Simon Fraser University
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Profession Politician
  1. "Mensyukuri Rahmat Hidup dan Kesihatan Sempena Hari Jadi" (in Malay). Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  2. "Sejarah Datuk Seri Panglima Salleh Tun Said Keruak" (in Malay). Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  3. Prior to 1991, he was a member of the PBS party.

Datuk Seri Panglima Md Salleh bin Md Said (Jawi: محمد صالح بن محمد سعيد; born 10 July 1958), commonly known as Salleh Said Keruak, is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Usukan from February 1994 to March 2004, from May 2013 to May 2018 and again since September 2020. He served as the Minister of Communications and Multimedia in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak from July 2015 to the collapse of the BN administration in May 2018, 9th chief minister of Sabah from December 1994 to May 1996, Speaker of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly from December 2010 to July 2015, Senator from July 2015 to July 2018 and Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Belud from April 1995 to March 2008. He is also the son of Mohammad Said Keruak, the 4th chief minister of Sabah and the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah as well as the cousin of Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, the Kota Belud MP.

Educational background

He was a bachelor's graduate from Simon Fraser University in political science and holds a PhD in political science and government from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Career

After finishing his further studies, he was designated as Kota Belud District Officer from 1984 to 1986 and later became a political secretary to the sitting chief minister's administration from 1986 to 1994.

In addition, he also held some positions in the Cabinet of Sabah. For many years, he served as the minister of finance, minister of local government and housing and deputy chief minister.

On 28 December 1994, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad appointed him as the chief minister of the state. His tenure as the state's chief minister ended on 26 May 1996 and was succeeded by Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Yong Teck Lee.

On 4 January 2010, then-chief minister, Musa Aman, appointed him as his government's Science and Technology Adviser with ministerial rank. He succeeded Tham Nyip Shen, a former Deputy Chief Minister for the ethnic Chinese quota who hailed from Keningau.

Later on 31 December of the same year, he was appointed as the Speaker of the State Legislature. A day later, on the first day of 2011, he was appointed as the chairman of Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) by the then-Federal Minister of Information, Communications and Culture, Dr. Rais Yatim.

Under the party of United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), he previously served Sabah state liaison committee deputy chairperson from 2006 to 2018, serving under the long-term chairmanship of then-Chief Minister, Musa Aman who was concurrently the state liaison committee chairperson from 2003 to 2018 (but now he currently serves as its elections machinery director since the crucial party elections in 2018).

In addition, he also presides over the United Sabah Bajau Organisation (USBO).

On 6 October 2019, he admitted that he submitted a party membership application to the People’s Justice Party (PKR) as the party is multiracial and it is in line with Salleh's political beliefs, especially focusing on the future of the Malaysian state in East Malaysia, Sabah.

On 30 June 2020, he canceled his application to join PKR in the aftermath of the 2020 political crisis. On 9 September 2020, Salleh rejoined UMNO.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1995 P148 Kota Belud Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 17,368 62.92% Herbert Timbun Lagadan (PBS) 10,237 37.08% 27,920 7,131 81.71%
1999 Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 7,817 62.16% Saidil Simoi (PBS) 8,601 30.01% 28,931 9,216 77.55%
Bandira Aling (PAS) 1,515 5.28%
Paul Maidom Pansai (IND) 553 1.93%
Mul Marif (IND) 179 0.62%
2004 P169 Kota Belud, Sabah Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 19,290 64.93% James Baga (IND) 8,869 29.85% 30,794 10,421 75.20%
Jaimin Giau (SETIA) 1,551 5.22%
2018 Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 19,167 41.58%2 Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (WARISAN) 23,429 50.82%2 47,271 4,262 82.12%
Miasin Mion (PHRS) 2,092 4.54%
Laiman Ikin (PAS) 1,410 3.06%
Notes:
Table excludes votes for candidates who finished in third place or lower.
2 Different % used for 2018 election.
Sabah State Legislative Assembly
Year Constituency Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1994 N08 Usukan, P148 Kota Belud Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 6,274 61.67% Datu Badaruddin Datu Mustapha (PBS) 3,591 35.30% 10,277 2,683 82.53%
Semat Abdul Karim (SETIA) 159 1.56%
Salisi Ukoh (IND) 150 1.47%
1999 Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 7,127 61.84% Saidil Simoy (PBS) 3,503 30.40% 11,652 3,624 80.21%
Mudry Nasir (BERSEKUTU) 894 7.76%
2013 N08 Usukan, P169 Kota Belud Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 10,879 70.85% Mustapha Sakmud (PKR) 4,067 27.24% 15,603 6,812 83.40%
Bakhruddin Ismail (STAR) 285 1.91%
2020 N10 Usukan, P169 Kota Belud Salleh Said Keruak (UMNO) 8,280 65.28% Abdul Bakhrin Mohd Yusof (WARISAN) 3,982 31.40% 12,683 4,298 75.12%
Datu Mohd Nazaruddin Datu Tiga Belas (PCS) 421 3.32%

Honours

Family

He is currently married to Datin Seri Panglima Datuk Raya Erom (born 21 April 1963), an ethnic Kadazandusun woman of Lotud descent from Tuaran, since 18 December 1984. Prior to their marriage, she was a Roman Catholic Christian before converting to Sunni Islam in order to marry Salleh. The couple are blessed with two sons and two daughters: Mohd Syarulnizam (born 1986), Syazeera (born 1988), Mohd Hafeez (born 1996) and Syeera (born 2002).

In addition, Salleh is also the second cousin of Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis.