Azhar Matussin

Summary

Azhar bin Matussin is a WARISAN politician who has held elected office in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly continuously since May 2018, first for Karambunai and since September 2020 for Darau, where he retained his seat in the 2025 Sabah state election by a margin of 63 votes. He serves as Treasurer-General of Parti Warisan and is a member of the party's Supreme Council. His public positions centre on Sabah state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, diesel subsidy policy, and anti-corruption accountability at the state level.

Biography

Azhar bin Matussin is a Malaysian politician and member of Parti Warisan Sabah (WARISAN). He has served as the Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Darau since September 2020 [1]. Prior to representing Darau, he served as MLA for Karambunai from May 2018 to September 2020, and concurrently held the position of State Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry of Sabah under the WARISAN state administration led by former Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal [1]. The WARISAN-led administration collapsed in September 2020, after which Azhar contested and won the newly created Darau seat in the 2020 Sabah state election with a majority of 562 votes [2]. He holds the party position of Treasurer-General of Parti Warisan, as reported in August 2024 [3]. He was also elected to the Warisan Supreme Council (Ahli Majlis Tertinggi) in the party's 2021–2024 leadership line-up [4]. In November 2025, Azhar contested the 17th Sabah State Election and retained the Darau seat with 8,360 votes, defeating his nearest challenger by a majority of just 63 votes in a six-cornered contest [2]. Darau is located within the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency and had 33,016 registered electors at the time of the 2025 election [4]. Azhar has been an active voice on Sabah rights issues, including the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and subsidy policy affecting Sabahans.

Known for

Azhar Matussin is known primarily as a consistent WARISAN party figure who has held elected office continuously since 2018, first for Karambunai and then for Darau [1]. Within his party, he serves as Treasurer-General, and has been a member of the party's Supreme Council [5]. He is associated with Warisan's advocacy for Sabah state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and has publicly challenged the federal government's position on Sabah's 40% revenue entitlement [3].

Political positions

On the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Azhar has called for the establishment of a Permanent Parliamentary Special Select Committee to address MA63 issues, framing this as necessary to prevent delays in implementing Sabah's constitutional 40% tax revenue entitlement [3][6]. He has also questioned whether federal allocations to Sabah clearly differentiate development funding from the state's constitutional revenue entitlement [3][6]. On subsidy policy, Azhar was among a group of Warisan assemblymen who in July 2026 submitted a memorandum to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry seeking Sabah's exemption from the revised targeted diesel subsidy scheme, on the grounds that Sabah's geographical, economic and infrastructure realities differ from other states [3][7]. On governance and anti-corruption, he joined fellow Warisan assemblymen in March 2026 in submitting a memorandum to the MACC demanding an update on the Sabah mining scandal investigation [3][8]. On constituency matters, he has stated a commitment to resolving long-standing land title applications, squatter settlement issues, and youth unemployment in the Darau area [9][10].

Political career

1. May 2018Elected as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Karambunai in the 2018 Sabah state election, representing WARISAN.⛓
2. May 2018Appointed State Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry of Sabah under the WARISAN state administration led by Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal.⛓
3. September 2020Elected MLA for Darau — a newly created seat — in the 2020 Sabah state election, winning with a majority of 562 votes under the Warisan Plus-Warisan banner. Ceased to serve as State Assistant Minister following the collapse of the WARISAN state administration.⛓
4. August 2022Elected to Warisan's Supreme Council (Ahli Majlis Tertinggi) as part of the party's 2021–2024 leadership line-up at the party elections.⛓
5. December 2022Publicly denied social media allegations that he and six other Warisan assemblymen were planning to quit the party, stating he had not signed any statutory declaration to switch party allegiance.⛓
6. August 2024As Warisan Treasurer-General, called for the establishment of a Permanent Parliamentary Special Select Committee to address MA63 issues and pressed for clarity on Sabah's 40% tax revenue entitlement.⛓
7. November 2025Retained the Darau seat in the 17th Sabah State Election with 8,360 votes, defeating the GRS candidate by a majority of just 63 votes in a six-cornered contest.⛓
8. March 2026Joined fellow Warisan assemblymen in submitting a memorandum to the MACC demanding an update on the Sabah mining scandal investigation.⛓
9. July 2026Among Warisan assemblymen who submitted a memorandum to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry seeking Sabah's exemption from the revised targeted diesel subsidy scheme.⛓

Election history

• 2025DarauWon39.9%⛓
• 2020DarauWon⛓
• 2018KarambunaiWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• OppositionGRS candidate Razali Razi, contesting against Azhar in the 2025 Sabah election, claimed there had been a lack of development in Darau under Warisan's representation and that constituents lacked proper channels to voice their concerns.⛓
• VerifiedFactsAzhar Matussin retained the Darau seat in the November 2025 Sabah state election with 8,360 votes and a majority of 63, confirming his continued mandate as the constituency's representative despite a competitive six-cornered contest.⛓
• GovernmentFederal minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali stated there was no record showing Warisan resolved the 17 MA63 claims during its 2018–2020 administration, directly countering Warisan's campaign claims on the issue during the 2025 election period.⛓