TopicsPolitician AnalysisAnnuar Rapaee

Annuar Rapaee

Annuar Rapaee

Party
PBB · United Bumiputera Heritage Party
Coalition
GPS
Constituency
Nangka
State
Sarawak
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Why this matters to you

As Sarawak's State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dr Annuar directly shapes education policy affecting students, teachers, and parents across the state — from the expansion of English-medium instruction in secondary schools to the administration of a free tertiary education scheme targeting 10,000 students annually (Source: thestar.com.my). His negotiations with the federal Education Ministry under MA63 have secured the right for the Sarawak Education Department to approve school development projects locally, reducing bureaucratic delays for school upgrades and rural infrastructure (Source: malaymail.com). As Chairman of the University of Technology Sarawak, he also influences the direction of Sarawak's state-owned universities, including ongoing efforts to set up Sarawak's first state medical school to address the severe doctor shortage (Source: thestar.com.my).

Summary

Datuk Dr Annuar bin Rapaee is a cardiologist-turned-politician who has represented the Nangka state seat in Sarawak's Sibu Division since 2011 under PBB-GPS, winning three consecutive terms. As State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, he has been the state government's lead voice on education autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, securing concrete procedural gains from the federal government. He is also Vice-President of PBB and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Technology Sarawak.

Biography

Datuk Dr Annuar bin Rapaee (born 18 November 1963, Sibu) is a Malaysian cardiologist-turned-politician serving as State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state administration under Premier Abang Johari since January 2022 [1]. He has been the Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nangka (N.55) since April 2011, winning three consecutive terms [1]. He is Vice-President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a component party of GPS [1]. Dr Annuar received his MBBS from the University of Malaya in 1988, followed by a Master of Medicine in Internal Medicine at St James's University Hospital, Leeds, and an Advanced Master in Cardiology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (1998–2001) [1]. In 2004, he underwent subspecialty advanced training in cardiac MRI at the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin in Germany [1]. Before entering politics, he trained cardiologists at UNIMAS and Serdang Hospital [1]. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Technology Sarawak since March 2021 [1]. From 2016 to December 2021, he held multiple deputy ministerial portfolios in Sarawak state government, including Science Research and Biotechnology, Education Science and Technological Research, and Housing and Public Health [1]. In 2022, he enrolled in a law degree programme at the University of Hertfordshire via Brickfields Asia College [1]. Nangka is one of four state seats within the Sibu parliamentary constituency [2].

Known for

Dr Annuar Rapaee is principally identified with Sarawak's push for greater education autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), having led negotiations with the federal Education Ministry that resulted in the delegation of school project approval powers to the Sarawak Education Department [3][4]. He is a rare figure in Malaysian state politics who combines a specialist medical background — cardiology — with a senior party and legislative role. He is also the longest-serving assemblyman for Nangka, holding the seat for three consecutive terms since 2011 with growing electoral majorities each cycle [1][4].

Political positions

Dr Annuar has consistently advocated for Sarawak's education autonomy under MA63, arguing that federal education policies must be made in consultation with the Sarawak state government as stipulated in Paragraph 17 of the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report [5]. He has pushed for the dual-language programme (DLP) to be extended to secondary school subjects including Additional Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, preserving the use of English as a medium of instruction [4]. He has raised the critical shortage of doctors in Sarawak, noting that in 2025, 54% of doctors posted to the state did not report for duty, and has championed a feasibility study for a state-owned medical faculty [4]. On youth engagement and electoral politics, he has emphasised mobilising young voters and adapting political outreach through social media under the Undi18 framework [3]. He supports the Sarawak government's free tertiary education scheme (FTES), which as of May 2026 had enrolled 4,694 students at four state-owned institutions [4].

References

  1. [1]en.wikipedia.org
  2. [2]freemalaysiatoday.com
  3. [3]malaymail.com
  4. [4]thestar.com.my
  5. [5]bernama.com

Education

  1. 1970–1975Attended primary school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandaran Sibu No. 3.⛓
  2. 1976–1981Completed secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Rosli Dhoby, Sibu.⛓
  3. 1981–1983Undertook pre-university matriculation studies at the University of Malaya's Centre for Foundation Studies.⛓
  4. 1983–1988Graduated with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Malaya.⛓
  5. Late 1980s–early 1990sPursued postgraduate Master of Medicine (MMed) in Internal Medicine at St James's University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.⛓
  6. 1998–2001Completed Advanced Master in Cardiology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).⛓
  7. 2004Underwent Subspecialty Advanced Training in cardiac MRI at the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany.⛓
  8. 2022Enrolled in a three-year law degree programme at the University of Hertfordshire (UK) via online learning through Brickfields Asia College.⛓

Before politics

  1. Post-2004Practised as a cardiologist and trained cardiologists at UNIMAS and Serdang Hospital, Selangor; became an expert in cardiac MRI imaging.⛓

Political career

  1. April 2011First elected as MLA for Nangka (N.49) in the 10th Sarawak State Election, winning with a majority of 5,302 votes over the PKR candidate.⛓
  2. May 2016Re-elected for Nangka in the 11th Sarawak State Election with a majority of 7,617 votes; sworn in as State Deputy Minister at the Chief Minister's Department with the Science Research and Biotechnology portfolio.⛓
  3. May 2017Appointed State Deputy Minister in the newly created Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research (MESTR) and concurrently State Deputy Minister for Housing and Public Health.⛓
  4. March 2021Appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Technology Sarawak.⛓
  5. December 2021Re-elected for Nangka in the 12th Sarawak State Election for a third consecutive term, with a majority of more than 10,000 votes, defeating PSB and PBK candidates.⛓
  6. January 2022Appointed State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development in the GPS administration under Premier Abang Johari.⛓
  7. February 2024Witnessed the delegation of authority to the Sarawak Education Department to approve state-funded school development projects — a key MA63 milestone — alongside Federal Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.⛓

Election history

  • 2021Nangka (N.55)Won⛓
  • 2016Nangka (N.55)Won⛓
  • 2011Nangka (N.49)Won⛓

Stance evolution

Public statements grouped chronologically. The party tag shows which party the politician was contesting under at that point.

  1. 2026PBB
    • We are targeting 10,000 students in Sarawak to enjoy free tertiary education this year.

      Stated at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly during question time, reporting on the uptake of Sarawak's free tertiary education scheme. · Source

  2. 2025PBB
    • Although it's not easy to get full autonomy of education, certain parts such as syllabus and the use of English must be maintained by the schools, colleges and universities in Sarawak.

      Said during a MoU signing ceremony between i-Cats University College and a TVET institution in Kuching, on Sarawak's push for education autonomy under MA63. · Source

    • Although the state education director is a federal officer, all policies must be made in consultation with the state government. This is clearly outlined in the IGC (Report), and it has now become law.

      Stated to reporters following an MoU exchange ceremony, explaining the legal basis for Sarawak's education autonomy under MA63. · Source

  3. 2021PBB
    • My constituency is a semi-urban area. There are 34 longhouses and about half of them do not have stable internet access.

      Said after an online interview with Bernama Radio in Sibu while requesting the Election Commission permit physical ceramah in Nangka during the 2021 state election campaign. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • GovernmentSarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari described Dr Annuar as a local leader who has contributed many ideas for development in Sarawak, expressing hope that he would continue to serve and make a big contribution (Source: Malay Mail, December 2021).⛓
  • ExpertCouncil of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir assessed that Dr Annuar could serve as a game-changer for GPS in the Chinese-majority Sibu parliamentary seat during GE15, citing his ability to attract cross-ethnic support (Source: Free Malaysia Today, October 2022).⛓
  • VerifiedFactsDr Annuar's 2021 election majority of more than 10,000 votes was confirmed by both The Star and Malay Mail, reflecting successive increases from 5,302 (2011) to 7,617 (2016) to over 10,000 (2021), as reported across multiple outlets.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsSarawak's free tertiary education scheme (FTES) had enrolled 4,694 students at four state-owned institutions as of May 2026, according to Dr Annuar's statement at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly reported by The Star.⛓

Sources

Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.

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