Masidi Manjun

Summary

Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun is a Sabah-born lawyer and career politician who has held the Karanaan state seat since 2004 across six consecutive terms and four party banners, rising to become Deputy Chief Minister II and Finance Minister of Sabah under the GRS administration from December 2025. As Finance Minister he is the lead negotiator on Sabah's constitutional claim for a 40% share of federal revenue, a dispute with potentially multi-billion-ringgit implications for state public services. He also serves as Secretary-General of GRS and Deputy President of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN), making him a central figure in Sabah's ruling coalition machinery.

Biography

Datuk Seri Masidi bin Manjun (born 2 June 1950, Ranau, Sabah) is a Malaysian politician, lawyer, and former public administrator. He has served as Deputy Chief Minister II of Sabah since December 2025 and as State Minister of Finance since January 2023, both within the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor [1]. He is the Deputy President of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN) and Secretary-General of GRS [2]. He has held the Karanaan state seat in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly continuously since March 2004, currently serving his sixth term [3]. Masidi obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London in 1977 and became a Barrister-at-Law with Honours at Lincoln's Inn, London in 1979 [1]. He entered the Sabah State Public Service in 1977 as a legal adviser at the Forestry Department, was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in 1980, and served as Tuaran District Officer that same year. He served as Sandakan Municipal Council President from 1982 and was promoted to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in 1984, before becoming Senior State Counsel in the State Attorney-General's Chambers in 1987 [1]. He left the State Public Service in 1989 to join the private sector. He chaired the Institute of Development Studies Sabah from 1994 to 2004 and served on the board of directors of Sabah Development Bank during the same period [4]. He entered electoral politics in 2004 under UMNO, winning Karanaan and serving consecutively under Barisan Nasional in 2008, 2013, and 2018, then under Perikatan Nasional in 2020, and under GRS in 2025 [4]. He has served in successive Sabah state cabinets as Minister for Youth and Sports (2004), Minister for Tourism, Culture and Environment (2006–2018), state COVID-19 spokesman (2020–2022), Minister for Local Government and Housing (2020–2023), and Finance Minister (2023–present) [1].

Known for

Masidi is most closely associated with Sabah's long-running constitutional claim for a 40% share of federal revenue, which he has championed as state Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister II, pursuing both negotiation and legal avenues with the federal government [4][5]. He is also known for his unbroken six-term hold on the Karanaan state seat since 2004, spanning four different party banners, and for his central role in GRS coalition management as Secretary-General [1][2]. During the COVID-19 pandemic he served as Sabah's state COVID-19 spokesman and coordinating minister, a high-visibility role during the state's acute outbreak period in 2020–2021 [6].

Political positions

On Sabah's constitutional rights, Masidi has taken a firm, consistent stance that Sabah is entitled to 40% of net federal revenue collected in the state, insisting this is an "absolute right" and non-negotiable regardless of the composition of the federal Cabinet. As of April 2026, Sabah had formally written to Putrajaya seeking payment of RM3.019 billion for 2025 alone, covering customs and income tax collections [4][2]. He has stated: "I do not think you can compromise on constitutional provisions" [4]. On infrastructure and rural development, Masidi has repeatedly emphasised improved road access linking agricultural areas and remote villages in Karanaan and the wider Ranau district as essential to ending poverty and enabling farmers to reach markets [7]. On youth employment, he has advocated for reskilling and upskilling programmes, arguing that a changing economy requires equipping young people with new competencies beyond agriculture [7]. On Sabah's political identity, he has argued that Sabah should not be treated as a "laboratory" for national political experimentation, calling on all parties to respect Sabahans and their contributions to national wealth [2]. On coalition politics, he has consistently maintained that GRS should play a leading role in any coalition arrangement and that cooperation with Pakatan Harapan helps maintain political stability for development [2].

Education

1. 1977Obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London.⛓
2. 1979Became Barrister-at-Law with Honours at Lincoln's Inn, London.⛓

Before politics

1. 1977Entered the Sabah State Public Service as a legal adviser and prosecutor at the Forestry Department.⛓
2. 1980Admitted as Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak; appointed Tuaran District Officer the same year.⛓
3. 1982Transferred to Sandakan as Municipal Council President.⛓
4. 1984Promoted to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.⛓
5. 1987Appointed Senior State Counsel in the State Attorney-General's Chambers.⛓
6. 1989Left the Sabah State Public Service to join the private sector.⛓
7. 1994–2004Served as Chairman of the Institute of Development Studies Sabah and as a board member of Sabah Development Bank.⛓

Political career

1. March 2004First elected as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Karanaan, under UMNO/Barisan Nasional. Appointed Minister of State for Youth and Sports.⛓
2. 2006Appointed Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and Environment, a role he held until 2018. Also served concurrently as Minister of State charged with education.⛓
3. 2008Re-elected for Karanaan under Barisan Nasional (UMNO).⛓
4. 2013Re-elected for Karanaan under Barisan Nasional (UMNO).⛓
5. May 2018Re-elected for Karanaan under Barisan Nasional (UMNO), securing 6,849 votes with a 3,782-vote majority. Briefly served as Sabah Deputy Chief Minister for two days following the 14th General Election.⛓
6. April 2019Became State Deputy Chairman of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party of Sabah (Bersatu Sabah).⛓
7. September 2020Re-elected for Karanaan under Perikatan Nasional (Bersatu), securing 6,696 votes with a 4,814-vote majority in a four-cornered contest. Appointed Minister of State for Local Government and Housing; also served as state COVID-19 spokesman and coordinating minister.⛓
8. December 2022Resigned from Bersatu Sabah.⛓
9. January 2023Appointed State Minister of Finance of Sabah and became Deputy President of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN) and Secretary-General of GRS.⛓
10. 29 November 2025Re-elected for Karanaan under GRS (GAGASAN) with 7,081 votes and a 5,361-vote majority in a seven-cornered contest.⛓
11. 1 December 2025Sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister II of Sabah in Hajiji Noor's second-term cabinet, retaining the Finance Ministry portfolio.⛓

Election history

• 2025KaranaanWon⛓
• 2020KaranaanWon⛓
• 2018KaranaanWon⛓
• 2013KaranaanWon⛓
• 2008KaranaanWon⛓
• 2004KaranaanWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentMasidi is a senior GRS leader serving as Deputy Chief Minister II and Finance Minister of Sabah. GRS chairman and Chief Minister Hajiji Noor reappointed him to both roles in December 2025 following GRS's retention of power in the 17th Sabah state election, citing his seniority and role in coalition management.⛓
• OppositionAn independent candidate, Naomi @ Neomi Francis, filed a judicial review in December 2025 alleging pervasive corrupt practices and vote-buying in the Karanaan election, claiming voters were given cash handouts of RM100 to RM200. The High Court dismissed the petition in March 2026.⛓
• PublicA Bernama survey of Karanaan residents ahead of the 2020 state election found strong community support, with local resident Japilin Lajim, 60, stating that developments including paved roads, water supply, electricity, schools, and mosques had been brought to the area during Masidi's tenure.⛓
• ExpertAdministrative Science lecturer Nurfaizah Abdullah of UiTM Sabah noted ahead of the 2020 election that Masidi's use of the Dusun language while campaigning and his slogan 'Kita orang Ranau' resonated well with the local community, and did not rule out him receiving the mandate again.⛓
• VerifiedFactsMasidi voluntarily gave a statement to the MACC in December 2024 after a video emerged purportedly showing him receiving funds in connection with a mineral prospecting licence matter. He denied the allegations and described the video as edited to malign him. As of mid-2025 the MACC investigation remained ongoing; no charges have been reported against Masidi himself.⛓

Business interests (publicly reported)

According to en.wikipedia.org, Masidi has held directorships in Chase Perdana Berhad, Sitt Tatt Berhad, and Bank Rakyat. He has been Chairman of the Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation since 24 July 2020 (Source: en.wikipedia.org). He previously served as Chairman of the Institute of Development Studies Sabah (1994–2004) and as a board member of Sabah Development Bank during the same period (Source: en.wikipedia.org).

Notable legal history

A judicial review filed by independent candidate Naomi @ Neomi Francis seeking to nullify Masidi's victory in the November 2025 Karanaan state election was dismissed by the Kota Kinabalu High Court in March 2026. Justice Alexander Siew ordered Naomi to pay RM5,000 in costs to each of the respondents, including Masidi (Source: thestar.com.my). The petition had alleged corrupt practices and electoral irregularities; Masidi had denied all allegations as baseless (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com).