Mohammad Naim Kurniawan Moktar since 24 January 2026 · Politician profile · CERAP

Topics Politician AnalysisMohammad Naim Kurniawan Moktar since 24 January 2026

Why this matters to you

As the MP for Kinabatangan — a parliamentary constituency described as spanning an area comparable in size to the state of Pahang — Naim Kurniawan is the primary federal representative for tens of thousands of residents in one of Sabah's most geographically vast and rural constituencies (Source: bernama.com). His publicly stated priorities of water supply, electricity, road access, healthcare, and education directly concern daily life for communities in Kinabatangan who have long faced infrastructure gaps (Source: thestar.com.my, January 2026). His early parliamentary activity, including raising rural investment attraction with the Prime Minister in his first sitting day, indicates the issues he is likely to table in Dewan Rakyat debates that affect federal budget allocations to Kinabatangan (Source: bernama.com).

Summary

Mohd Kurniawan Naim bin Moktar (born 19 March 1994) is the UMNO/BN Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Sabah, elected via the January 2026 by-election following the death of his father, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who held the seat for six terms. He won with a majority of 14,214 votes — 19,852 votes against his nearest rival's 5,638 — and was sworn in on 27 January 2026. Before entering Parliament, he served as Political Secretary to the Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment (2020–2023) and has held the position of UMNO Youth Treasurer at the national level since March 2023.

Biography

Mohd Kurniawan Naim bin Moktar (born 19 March 1994) is a Malaysian politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Sabah, since January 2026 [1]. He is a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) under the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, and serves concurrently as the UMNO Youth Division Chief for Kinabatangan and as Treasurer of the national UMNO Youth Wing, a post he has held since March 2023 [2][3]. Prior to his parliamentary role, he served as Political Secretary to the Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment from November 2020 until January 2023 [1]. He is the son of the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who held the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat for six consecutive terms from 1999 until his death on 5 December 2025 [2][4]. Naim was confirmed as BN's candidate for the subsequent by-election by BN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on 19 December 2025 [5]. He won the 24 January 2026 by-election with 19,852 votes, defeating Parti Warisan's Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (5,638 votes) and independent Goldam Hamid, securing a majority of 14,214 votes [5]. He was sworn in as MP on 27 January 2026 before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul [5]. On the same day, he posed his first parliamentary question to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on attracting investment into rural areas, including the Kinabatangan constituency [5]. Wikidata records his educational institution as Open University Malaysia [6]; no further academic details are confirmed via primary sources.

Known for

Naim Kurniawan is primarily identified as the son and political successor of the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who held the Kinabatangan seat for 26 years [2]. He entered Parliament via the January 2026 by-election, having previously built his party credentials as Kinabatangan UMNO Youth chief and national UMNO Youth Treasurer [2][3]. His campaign was distinguished by a 10-point constituency manifesto centred on rural infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development for Kinabatangan residents [2][4].

Political positions

Based on publicly reported statements and his campaign manifesto, Naim Kurniawan has articulated a focus on resolving basic infrastructure deficits in Kinabatangan, specifically water supply, electricity access, and road connectivity, which he described as the unfinished work of his late father [2][4]. His 10-point election manifesto included pledges to establish a Kinabatangan Strategic Development Council — with opposition representatives included as checks and balances — a Kinabatangan Foundation for educational, welfare and emergency assistance, free e-tuition, free regular health check-ups, TVET programmes, a tourism and cultural hub, collection centres for fishermen's produce, and public transportation services [2][4]. In his first question in the Dewan Rakyat, he raised the potential for attracting investment into rural constituencies such as Kinabatangan, signalling an economic development orientation [5]. His stated governing philosophy emphasises direct grassroots engagement and accountability to voters [2][4].

References

Education

UndatedAttended Open University Malaysia, as recorded in Wikidata.⛓

Before politics

November 2025Served as campaign manager for his father Bung Moktar Radin during the Sabah state election for the Lamag seat.⛓

Political career

November 2020Appointed Political Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah.⛓
January 2023Ended tenure as Political Secretary to the Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment.⛓
March 2023Appointed Treasurer of the UMNO Youth Wing for the 2023–2026 term, announced by UMNO Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh.⛓
19 December 2025Confirmed by BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as the BN candidate for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election.⛓
24 January 2026Won the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election under BN with 19,852 votes and a majority of 14,214 votes in a three-cornered contest.⛓
27 January 2026Sworn in as Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. On the same day posed his first parliamentary question to the Prime Minister on rural investment attraction.⛓

Election history

2026KinabatanganWon75.1%⛓

Stance evolution

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

2026UMNO
- This mandate comes with a very heavy responsibility.
  Remarks to media following the announcement of his by-election victory on 24 January 2026. · Source
- Voters will choose based on trust and whether you can carry their voices and represent them.
  Interview with The Star during the Kinabatangan by-election campaign period. · Source
2025UMNO
- I accept the trust placed in me, even though I am aware that it will not be easy, given that the Kinabatangan parliamentary constituency spans an area as large as the state of Pahang.
  Statement to Bernama upon being confirmed as BN's Kinabatangan by-election candidate. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

GovernmentBN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed Naim as the coalition's candidate, stating he hoped to give Naim the opportunity to win as he would be completing the remainder of his late father's term, and expressed hope for continuity.⛓
GovernmentSabah UMNO liaison committee chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin stated that Naim was chosen on considerations of organisational legitimacy, grassroots acceptance, and the ability to carry the voters' mandate — not blood relations alone.⛓
VerifiedFactsThe EC confirmed Naim won the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election on 24 January 2026 with 19,852 votes and a majority of 14,214 votes, representing BN. Voter turnout was 55.06%. Note: The Star reported independent candidate Goldam Hamid received 746 votes, while Bernama (citing the EC) reported 946 votes; the Bernama/EC figure is used here as the authoritative source.⛓
PublicThe Star reported that some observers viewed Naim's campaign imagery — which paired his face with that of his late father — as an appeal to sympathy votes, while others saw it as a statement of political continuity linking his candidacy to Bung Moktar's 26-year presence in Kinabatangan.⛓

Sources

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