TopicsPolitician AnalysisAbdul Rahman Junaidi
Abdul Rahman Junaidi
- Party
- PBB · United Bumiputera Heritage Party
- Coalition
- GPS
- Constituency
- Pantai Damai
- State
- Sarawak
Why this matters to you
As ADUN for Pantai Damai — a constituency with a population of over 56,000 (Source: en.wikipedia.org) — Abdul Rahman Junaidi is the elected representative who channels state development resources to the area, including infrastructure, water supply, and public health initiatives such as the Covid-19 vaccination rollout for 16 villages in Telaga Air (Source: thestar.com.my). In his current role as Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department coordinating DBKU and Islamic affairs (Source: bernama.com), his decisions affect urban governance, development approvals, and religious services for residents of Kuching North. His announced Damai cruise port project, expected to begin construction by end-2026 (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com), could have direct implications for tourism employment and coastal infrastructure in the Pantai Damai area.
Summary
Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi is the PBB assemblyman for Pantai Damai (N.04), Sarawak, having held the seat across successive elections since at least 2006. He has served in the Sarawak state cabinet in utility, telecommunications, and Islamic affairs portfolios, and was appointed in March 2025 as Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department as Project Coordinator for Regional Development Agencies, DBKU, and Islamic Affairs. In February 2025, he was unsuccessful in a bid to retain a Vice President post in PBB's Bumiputera wing at the party's 16th General Assembly.
Biography
Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi is a Malaysian politician from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ruling coalition. He has served as the Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) for Pantai Damai (N.04), a Kuching-area state constituency in Sarawak, since at least 2006, when he was already identified as Pantai Damai Assemblyman [1]. Prior to Pantai Damai, he served as assemblyman for the Padungan constituency [1]. He holds a doctoral qualification, as reflected in his title Datuk Dr. He was first fielded for Pantai Damai by Barisan Nasional in the 2011 Sarawak state election as a new face [2], retained the seat in 2016 with a majority of 9,260 votes [3], and again in 2021 under the GPS banner [3]. Following the 2021 election, he was appointed Assistant Minister for Utility (Water Supply) in the Sarawak Cabinet [4]. He later served as Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunications, Sarawak [5]. In March 2025, Premier Abang Johari announced Abdul Rahman's appointment as Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department, serving as Project Coordinator for Regional Development Agencies, Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), and Islamic Affairs [5]. In February 2025, he contested but was unsuccessful in retaining a Vice President post in PBB's Bumiputera wing, receiving 546 votes at the 16th PBB General Assembly [6]. As of March 2026, he announced a planned international cruise port at Damai, to be implemented by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation [3].
Known for
Abdul Rahman Junaidi is known as a long-serving PBB assemblyman for the Pantai Damai constituency in Kuching, holding the seat across at least four successive Sarawak state elections. He has held progressively senior executive positions in the Sarawak state cabinet, including roles overseeing water supply utilities, telecommunications, and Islamic affairs coordination. He has also been active in promoting intercultural events in Kuching, co-chairing the Sarawak Inter-Cultural Moon Cake Festival [1].
Political positions
Abdul Rahman Junaidi's portfolio history reflects a focus on public utilities, water supply, urban governance, and Islamic affairs administration in Sarawak. As Assistant Minister and later Deputy Minister for Utility and Telecommunications, he was publicly associated with ensuring uninterrupted water supply during flood events and advancing Sarawak's water infrastructure [5]. In his current role as Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department, he coordinates projects for regional development agencies, Kuching North City Hall, and Islamic affairs [5][7]. He has publicly supported Sarawak's tourism development, most recently announcing a planned cruise port at Damai to attract international liners currently bypassing Borneo [3]. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he emphasised grassroots vaccination outreach across 16 villages in the Telaga Air area of his constituency [1]. On religious compliance matters, he has spoken in his capacity overseeing Islamic affairs, including on halal certification requirements for food premises during Ramadan [6].
References
Political career
- By 2006Serving as Pantai Damai Assemblyman, having previously held the Padungan state seat. Co-chaired the Sarawak Inter-Cultural Moon Cake Festival.⛓
- April 2011Fielded as a new face by Barisan Nasional for the Pantai Damai seat (N.05 at the time) in the 10th Sarawak state election under PBB.⛓
- April 2016Re-contested Pantai Damai under BN-PBB in the 11th Sarawak state election, winning with a majority of 9,260 votes.⛓
- December 2020Serving as Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs and Kuching North City Commission).⛓
- December 2021Re-contested and won the Pantai Damai seat under the GPS coalition banner in the 12th Sarawak state election.⛓
- December 2021Appointed as one of two Menteri Muda (Assistant Ministers) for Utility and Telecommunications in the post-PRN12 Sarawak Cabinet announced by Chief Minister Abang Johari.⛓
- January 2024 (approx.)Serving as Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunications, Sarawak (Utility portfolio), responsible for water supply oversight including during flood events.⛓
- February 2025Contested the Vice President post (Bumiputera wing) at PBB's 16th General Assembly but was unsuccessful, receiving 546 votes.⛓
- March 2025Appointed Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department as Project Coordinator for Regional Development Agencies, Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), and Islamic Affairs.⛓
- March 2026Announced plans for an international cruise port at Damai, to be implemented by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, with construction expected to begin by end-2026.⛓
Election history
Stance evolution
Public statements grouped chronologically. The party tag shows which party the politician was contesting under at that point.
- 2026PBB
To address this, a port is being planned and is expected to be completed within two to three years, allowing cruise ships to stop at Damai.
- 2021PBB
If we can continue the programme without any hindrance, my target is that eligible recipients from all 16 villages will complete their first and second doses by the end of July or early August.
- 2020PBB
The priority now is the safety and healthcare interests of the community.
Perspectives on key issues
- VerifiedFactsAbdul Rahman Junaidi has held the Pantai Damai state seat across at least three consecutive elections (2011, 2016, 2021) under PBB/GPS. He has served in multiple Sarawak Cabinet roles covering water supply, utility, telecommunications, and Islamic affairs, and as of March 2025 is Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department.⛓
- GovernmentPremier Abang Johari appointed Abdul Rahman as Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department in March 2025, tasked with coordinating projects for regional development agencies, DBKU, and Islamic affairs, as part of a cabinet reshuffle aimed at strengthening GPS service delivery.⛓
- PublicResidents of the Telaga Air area in Pantai Damai constituency benefited from a structured Covid-19 vaccination programme coordinated by Abdul Rahman, targeting 16 villages for completion of both doses by mid-2021.⛓
Sources
Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.