Mohammed Taufiq Johari

Summary

Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (born 6 March 1996) is the PKR Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani, Kedah, elected in November 2022, and has served as Malaysia's Minister of Youth and Sports since December 2025 following a cabinet reshuffle under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. A qualified physician and the son of Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, he became one of the youngest Dewan Rakyat members at age 26 and subsequently the youngest Cabinet minister in the Anwar administration. Before his ministerial appointment, he was active in parliamentary debates on gig economy regulation, digital safety, and electoral reform.

Biography

Dr Mohammed Taufiq bin Johari (born 6 March 1996, Kuala Lumpur) is a physician and politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani, Kedah, since November 2022 [1]. He is a member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and serves as the Sungai Petani Division Chief of the party [2]. He is the son of Tan Sri Johari Abdul, the 11th Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and former three-term Sungai Petani MP [3]. Taufiq holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from Bandung Islamic University, Indonesia, obtained in 2020, and trained as a doctor at Al-Ihsan Hospital Bandung and Hospital Dr Slamet in Garut, Indonesia, before returning to Malaysia to work at Al-Hadi Clinic in Sungai Petani [4]. Prior to his parliamentary election, he served as the Chief of the Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) for Kedah state and the Sungai Petani division [1]. In the 2022 general election (GE15), Taufiq won the Sungai Petani seat with 50,580 votes, defeating Perikatan Nasional's Robert Ling Kui Ee by a majority of 1,115 votes [2]. As a backbencher, he was active in debates on the gig economy, digital safety, and youth advocacy [1]. On 16 December 2025, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed him as Minister of Youth and Sports as part of the MADANI Government's cabinet reshuffle, making him the youngest cabinet minister in the Anwar Ibrahim administration [2]. In May 2025, he was elected as one of the Vice Youth Chiefs of PKR during the party's leadership election [1].

Known for

Mohammed Taufiq is known as one of the youngest members elected to the Dewan Rakyat and, following the December 2025 cabinet reshuffle, the youngest Cabinet minister in the Anwar Ibrahim administration [1]. He is the sole Pakatan Harapan MP in the Kedah 'Malay Belt', representing a constituency otherwise dominated by Perikatan Nasional [1]. He is also recognised for his advocacy on gig economy regulation and digital safety for youth, issues he championed as a backbencher before assuming the Youth and Sports portfolio [1].

Political positions

As a backbencher from 2022 to 2025, Mohammed Taufiq advocated for a clearer legal definition of gig workers, citing projections that the sector would expand to 3.5 million workers by end-2025 [1]. He endorsed government proposals to ban social media access for children under 16 to address cyberbullying and online harassment [1]. He expressed support for comprehensive political and electoral reforms, stating that as an MP of the government bloc he would champion concerns raised by electoral watchdog Bersih, while acknowledging reform takes time [5]. On the Fixed-Term Parliament Act, he clarified to Malaysiakini that the legislation limits the administration to the winning coalition after a general election, but does not preclude replacement of a Prime Minister from within the ruling parties [6]. He served as Treasurer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Integrity, Governance and Anti-Corruption (APPGM-IGAR) and was appointed a 'Friend of the Ministry' by the Ministry of National Unity in August 2025 [1]. As Youth and Sports Minister from December 2025, he stated his intention to continue and strengthen the initiatives of his predecessor and to collaborate across ministries to advance the youth and sports agenda [7]. His ministerial focus includes preparations for Malaysia's hosting of the 2027 SEA Games and development of a national sports talent plan [2].

Education

1. 2020Graduated with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Bandung Islamic University (Universiti Islam Bandung), Indonesia.⛓

Before politics

1. Post-2020Served as a trainee doctor at Al-Ihsan Hospital Bandung and Hospital Dr Slamet in Garut, Indonesia, before returning to Malaysia to work at Al-Hadi Clinic in Sungai Petani.⛓

Political career

1. Pre-2022Served as Chief of the Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) for Kedah state and the Sungai Petani division, focusing on party organisation and youth mobilisation.⛓
2. November 2022Won the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat in GE15 under PKR/Pakatan Harapan with 50,580 votes, defeating PN's Robert Ling Kui Ee by a majority of 1,115 votes, becoming one of the youngest members of the Dewan Rakyat.⛓
3. March 2024Married Dr Fathiya Ainul Mardhiyah Andri Nopendra at the Sungai Petani Municipal Council hall; the ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and several Cabinet ministers.⛓
4. May 2025Elected as one of the Vice Youth Chiefs of PKR during the party's leadership election.⛓
5. December 2025Appointed Minister of Youth and Sports by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as part of the MADANI Government's second cabinet reshuffle, succeeding Hannah Yeoh and becoming the youngest Cabinet minister in the administration.⛓

Election history

• 2022Sungai Petani (P015)Won38.91%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed Mohammed Taufiq as Minister of Youth and Sports in December 2025 as part of the MADANI Government's cabinet reshuffle, selecting him to helm the ministry at a particularly significant period ahead of Malaysia's hosting of the 2027 SEA Games.⛓
• OppositionAccording to Wikipedia, critics and opposition members during the 2022 election labelled Taufiq 'anak papa' (daddy's boy), alleging nepotism in his candidacy to replace his father at Sungai Petani; the issue resurfaced in October 2023 when Pendang MP Awang Hashim used the term on the Dewan Rakyat floor, resulting in Awang's suspension from the session.⛓
• ExpertAccording to Wikipedia, in December 2025 the Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW) called on Taufiq to provide official documentation to substantiate his use of the 'Dr.' title, emphasising that academic titles used by public figures should be validated to prevent misleading the public.⛓
• VerifiedFactsTaufiq won Sungai Petani in GE15 with 50,580 votes (38.91%), a majority of 1,115 over PN's Robert Ling Kui Ee who polled 49,465 votes, out of 168,847 registered voters. He was appointed Youth and Sports Minister on 16 December 2025 and sworn in the following day.⛓