Bung Moktar: A life remembered

Bung Moktar: A life remembered

KOTA KINABALU: Loved by many for his outspokenness and derided by his detractors for the same reason, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin was a polarising figure not just in Sabah but also Malaysian politics.

With more than four decades in politics, Bung Moktar was the unmistakable face of Sabah Umno, spearheading the party’s efforts in the state until his passing earlier tonight.

Born on Sept 14, 1959 in Kampung Bilit, Kinabatangan, Bung Moktar was exposed to politics early as his grandparents and parents were ardent supporters of United Sabah Organisation (Usno) since its formation in the early 1960s.

His first significant political role came in 1979, when he was appointed as the Kinabatangan Usno Youth chief.

In 1991, Bung Moktar, who was then an Usno Youth exco member, made the jump to Umno, where he then became the Kinabatangan Umno Youth chief.

He swiftly rose to Sabah Umno information chief and later, deputy chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club.

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Bung Moktar was also the Kinabatangan Umno division chief, a position he held since 1996.

In 2018, he was appointed Sabah Umno liaison committee chairman, a role in which he also served as the Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.

Before becoming the Kinabatangan member of Parliament, Bung Moktar served in several capacities throughout his professional career, including as an administrative officer with the Sandakan Special Affairs Department (JASA) branch office from 1987 to 1990, and as political secretary to the then Sabah Finance Minister from 1994 to 1999.

He also held several other notable positions in government-linked companies and within the Sabah government, including Felcra chairman and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I, where he also oversaw the Works Ministry portfolio.

His first electoral outing was in the 1994 Sabah state election, when he contested the Kuamut seat as a BN candidate, then considered an opposition stronghold. He, however, lost the seat.

He later bounced back from the defeat, securing his first parliamentary victory in the 1999 general election by defeating Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) candidate Ali Latip Taha for the Kinabatangan seat.

He went on to retain the seat in the 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2018 general elections.

During the 15th general election in 2022, Bung Moktar held Kinabatangan after polling 16,842 votes in a straight fight against Mazliwati Abdul Malek of Parti Warisan.

His final electoral contest before his death was the 17th Sabah general election, which concluded on Nov 29. He retained the Lamag seat for another term with a slim majority of 153 votes in a six-cornered contest.