Alexander Nanta Linggi

Summary

Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (born 16 June 1958) is the six-term Member of Parliament for Kapit, Sarawak, representing PBB under the GPS coalition, and has served as Malaysia's Minister of Works since December 2022 under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Unity Government. He is Secretary-General of both PBB and GPS, and previously served as Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (2020–2022) and Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development (2013–2018). A member of Sarawak's prominent Linggi-Jugah political dynasty, he indicated in May 2026 that he may transition from federal to state politics at the next election.

Biography

Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (born 16 June 1958) is a Malaysian politician from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) who has represented the Kapit parliamentary constituency in Sarawak since November 1999, making him a six-term Member of Parliament [1]. He is Secretary-General of both PBB and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition [2]. Since December 2022, he has served as Minister of Works in the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim [1]. Prior to this, he served as Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs under two successive administrations — the Perikatan Nasional government of Muhyiddin Yassin (March 2020–August 2021) and the Barisan Nasional government of Ismail Sabri Yaakob (August 2021–November 2022) [2]. Before becoming a full cabinet minister, he served as Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development from May 2013 to May 2018 under Prime Minister Najib Razak [1]. Nanta comes from a prominent Sarawak political family: his grandfather, the late Tun Jugah Barieng, was among the Sarawak leaders who participated in negotiations that led to Sarawak joining Malaysia on 16 September 1963, and was a founding figure of PBB; his father, Tan Sri Leonard Linggi Jugah, was involved in drafting the Rukun Negara in 1970 [1]. Nanta graduated from Schiller International University in London in 1983 with a Business Studies degree before entering politics [1]. His political career with PBB began in 1983, when he joined the party's Youth Wing Supreme Council, later serving as Deputy Youth Chief from 1989 to 1998 [1]. In May 2026, he indicated he may not defend the Kapit seat at the next general election, expressing interest in contesting a state seat in the next Sarawak state election instead [3].

Known for

Nanta is defined politically by his long tenure as Kapit MP — six consecutive terms since 1999 — combined with his dual role as Secretary-General of both PBB and GPS, positions that place him at the centre of Sarawak's ruling political structure [2]. As Minister of Works since December 2022, he oversees national public infrastructure including roads, highways, and government buildings across Malaysia [1]. He is also recognised as a key figure in GPS's relationship with the federal Unity Government, bridging Sarawak's political interests with national governance.

Political positions

As Minister of Works, Nanta has consistently emphasised the completion and quality of infrastructure projects nationwide, including highways, rural roads, and government facilities. He has publicly advocated for additional budget allocations for small (G1-category) contractors, citing their need to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic [4]. On rural development, he has highlighted the Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA) in Kapit, which received an initial fund of RM1.5 billion to implement bottom-up development projects for interior communities in Sarawak [5]. During his tenure as Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, he focused on consumer protection measures including reducing the ceiling price of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and improving the efficiency of the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia [6][1]. As GPS Secretary-General, he has maintained that GPS would contest independently in Sarawak and has denied seat-sharing negotiations with other national parties [7]. He has indicated GPS is positioned to continue its dominant role in Sarawak, while recognising the need for leadership renewal at the federal level [3].

Education

1. 1983Graduated from Schiller International University in London with a Business Studies degree.⛓

Before politics

1. 1983Ventured into business after graduation before entering politics.⛓

Political career

1. 1983–1989Joined Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and served as PBB Youth Wing Supreme Council member.⛓
2. 1989–1998Served as PBB Deputy Youth Chief.⛓
3. 1991First attempt at elected office: contested the Pelagus state constituency but lost by 642 votes to incumbent Datuk Sng Chee Hua.⛓
4. November 1999Won the Kapit parliamentary seat in GE10, becoming MP for the first time.⛓
5. 2004Re-elected unopposed as Kapit MP in GE11.⛓
6. 2008Re-elected unopposed as Kapit MP in GE12.⛓
7. 16 May 2013Appointed Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development following PBB's GE13 victory, serving under Prime Minister Najib Razak.⛓
8. 2018Appointed PBB Secretary-General. Following GPS's departure from BN after GE14, appointed GPS Secretary-General.⛓
9. 9 March 2020Appointed Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs in the Perikatan Nasional government under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.⛓
10. August 2021Reappointed Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs in the Barisan Nasional government under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.⛓
11. 2 December 2022Appointed Minister of Works in the Unity Government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.⛓
12. May 2026Indicated he may not defend his Kapit parliamentary seat at the next general election, expressing interest in contesting a state seat in the next Sarawak state election.⛓

Election history

• 2022KapitWon36.5%⛓
• 2018KapitWon46.7%⛓
• 2013KapitWon⛓
• 2008KapitWon⛓
• 2004KapitWon⛓
• 1999KapitWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• ExpertJames Chin of the University of Tasmania noted that Nanta's political heritage — as grandson of Tun Jugah Barieng, a founder of Pesaka — means his family will always hold a key role in PBB and GPS, and his move toward state politics does not signal the end of his political career.⛓
• ExpertUniversiti Malaya's Awang Azman Pawi assessed that Nanta's expressed interest in a state seat appears to reflect a desire to 'return' to state politics and potentially take on a state ministership, following a pathway similar to that of Sarawak Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah Embas.⛓
• GovernmentGPS chairman Abang Johari Openg stated that the coalition will take Nanta's expressed interest in contesting a state seat into consideration 'when the time comes', describing it as Nanta's personal stand.⛓
• VerifiedFactsNanta won the Kapit seat in GE15 (2022) with 16,522 votes (36.5% vote share) and a majority of 12,402 — his widest winning margin across six terms. In GE14 (2018) he won with 14,302 votes (46.7% vote share) and a majority of 10,479.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

According to Wikipedia, Nanta has served as Chairman of shipping company Swee Joo Bhd (Source: en.wikipedia.org). Free Malaysia Today reported in 2018 that the Linggi family has interests in timber, plantations, and shipping (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com). These are news-reported associations; no independent audited disclosure has been cited in allowlist sources.