Kulasegaran Murugeson

Summary

M. Kulasegaran Murugeson (born 1957) is a DAP lawyer-politician who has represented Ipoh Barat in the Dewan Rakyat since 2004, previously serving as Minister of Human Resources (2018–2020) and currently as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) since December 2023. He is closely associated with labour law reform, the landmark M. Indira Gandhi Federal Court ruling on unilateral child conversion, and advocacy on civil liberties and workers' rights. He has won Ipoh Barat at five consecutive general elections with steadily growing margins, and in February 2025 announced he would not contest DAP's internal leadership elections.

Biography

M. Kula Segaran s/o V. Murugeson (born 10 August 1957 in Lumut, Perak) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer representing Ipoh Barat (P065) in the Dewan Rakyat under the DAP banner [1]. The eighth of nine children born to rubber tappers, he grew up on an estate in Sitiawan, Perak [1]. He completed his Sixth Form at the Methodist English School, Sitiawan, in 1977, before reading law at Ealing College and Lincoln's Inn, London, where he was called to the Bar of England and Wales in July 1982 [1]. He was subsequently admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1983 [1]. He founded the firm Kula, Cheng & Co. in 1985 and later established Kula & Associates in 1989, with early work focused on civil litigation, labour disputes, and public interest cases [1]. Two sources differ on when he joined DAP: Malay Mail (2018) reported he joined in 1983, while Wikipedia states it was in the early 1990s, in both instances following an introduction by veteran DAP leader P. Patto. He first entered Parliament by winning the Teluk Intan by-election in 1997 by a majority of 2,916 votes [1]. After losing the Ipoh Barat seat in the 1999 general election, he recaptured it in 2004 and has held it continuously since, defending it in 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2022 with successively larger majorities [1]. He served as Minister of Human Resources in the Pakatan Harapan administration under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from 2018 to 2020 [1]. In December 2023, he was appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Law and Institutional Reforms under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim [2]. He was formerly the National Vice-chairman of DAP [1]. In February 2025, he announced he would not contest DAP's internal elections, citing a wish to support leadership renewal [1].

Known for

Kulasegaran is closely identified with labour law reform and workers' rights, having driven key legislative changes including the Employment (Amendment) Act 2022 during his tenure as Minister of Human Resources [1]. He is also recognised for his decade-long pro bono representation of M. Indira Gandhi in the landmark Federal Court case on unilateral child conversion, decided in 2018 [1]. He has held the Ipoh Barat parliamentary seat continuously since 2004, building progressively larger electoral majorities across six consecutive general election wins at that constituency [1].

Political positions

On labour and workers' rights, Kulasegaran has consistently advocated for stronger legal protections. As Minister of Human Resources (2018–2020), he convened the National Labour Advisory Council ten times in a single year — the first minister to do so — paving the way for amendments to the Industrial Relations Act, the Employees' Social Security Act, and the Employment Act [1]. He announced an intent to remove the minister's gatekeeping role over Industrial Court referrals, stating that workers should go directly to court without ministerial filtering [3]. He also declared a 'war on human trafficking' and directed his ministry to amend outdated laws, with the stated goal of moving Malaysia off the U.S. State Department's Tier 2 Watchlist on trafficking in persons [1]. On foreign labour, he stated the ministry was reviewing foreign workers policy, with priority to be given to local workers [4]. He also extended SOCSO coverage to foreign workers and domestic workers, citing the need to align Malaysian labour law with ILO conventions [5]. On civil liberties and institutional reform, he has long opposed detention without trial and championed the abolition of the mandatory death penalty [1]. In his current role as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms), he has worked on a Bill to separate the powers of the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor, and championed the establishment of a Human Rights Tribunal [1]. He was involved in PGA campaigns on the Arms Trade Treaty and Malaysia's accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court [1]. On ethnic minority rights, he spoke out against the demolition of Hindu temples and took part in the 2007 HINDRAF rally [1].

Education

1. 1977Completed Sixth Form at the Methodist English School, Sitiawan, Perak.⛓
2. 1982Called to the Bar of England and Wales by Lincoln's Inn, London, after studying at Ealing College and Lincoln's Inn.⛓
3. 1983Admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.⛓

Before politics

1. 1985Founded the law firm Kula, Cheng & Co. in Ipoh after chambering with Willie Concison.⛓
2. 1987Visited opposition leader P. Patto during his ISA detention following Operasi Lalang, deepening his opposition to detention without trial.⛓
3. 1989Established Kula & Associates, continuing legal practice in civil litigation, labour disputes, and public interest cases.⛓
4. 2009Took on the pro bono case of M. Indira Gandhi, whose ex-husband had converted their three children to Islam without her consent.⛓

Political career

1. 1997Won the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election for DAP by a majority of 2,916 votes, his first election victory and entry into Parliament.⛓
2. 1999Contested Ipoh Barat in the 10th General Election but lost the seat.⛓
3. 2004Won Ipoh Barat (P065) in the 11th General Election with a majority of 598 votes over BN's Ho Cheong Sing, beginning an unbroken tenure as its MP.⛓
4. 2018Appointed Minister of Human Resources in the Pakatan Harapan cabinet under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, following the GE14 victory.⛓
5. December 2023Appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) in a cabinet reshuffle under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.⛓
6. February 2025Announced he would not contest in DAP's internal elections, stating a wish to support leadership renewal and make way for younger members.⛓

Election history

• 2022Ipoh BaratWon⛓
• 2018Ipoh BaratWon65.5%⛓
• 2013Ipoh BaratWon⛓
• 2008Ipoh BaratWon⛓
• 2004Ipoh BaratWon⛓
• 1999Ipoh BaratLost⛓
• 1997Teluk Intan (by-election)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentKulasegaran was appointed Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) in the December 2023 cabinet reshuffle under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, returning to government after previously serving as a full cabinet minister in 2018–2020. Wikipedia noted his appointment was notable as few former cabinet ministers have returned to serve in subordinate roles.⛓
• ExpertA May 2019 commentary in Malay Mail by a contributor described Kulasegaran's HR ministry tenure positively, noting his commitment to aligning Malaysian labour legislation with international standards and his pledge at the MTUC May Day rally to amend seven employment-related laws.⛓
• VerifiedFactsKulasegaran has represented Ipoh Barat (P065) as a Pakatan Harapan–DAP MP continuously since 2004, as confirmed by the official Parliament of Malaysia members list.⛓