Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif

Summary

Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif is a GAGASAN politician who has held the Membakut seat in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly since 2004, making him one of the constituency's longest-serving representatives. A PhD holder from Universiti Putra Malaysia, he has served in successive GRS Cabinet portfolios under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, most recently as State Minister of Local Government and Housing and state exco for Islamic Affairs from December 2025. He is also known as the son-in-law of Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman and, following the 2025 Sabah state election, was sworn into a new Cabinet term after retaining Membakut with a majority of 2,017 votes.

Biography

Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin bin Mohd Arif (born 8 May 1963) is a Malaysian politician and member of the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (GAGASAN), a component party of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ruling coalition. He has represented the Membakut state constituency in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (SSLA) continuously since March 2004, making him one of the longest-serving assemblymen in that seat [1]. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy earned from Universiti Putra Malaysia on 21 March 2022 [1]. Arifin has served in multiple Sabah Cabinet portfolios under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor's GRS administration: first as State Minister of Special Functions and Coordination, then as State Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation from January 2023 to November 2025, and subsequently as State Minister of Local Government and Housing from December 2025, with additional responsibility over state Islamic Affairs [2]. He is also noted as the son-in-law of Sabah's Yang di-Pertua Negeri (State Governor), Tun Musa Aman [3]. In the 2025 Sabah state election held on 29 November 2025, Arifin contested as the GAGASAN/GRS candidate for Membakut and retained his seat in a ten-cornered contest with a majority of 2,017 votes [4]. Following the GRS coalition's return to power with 29 seats in the 17th Sabah SSLA, Arifin was sworn in as part of the new Sabah Cabinet in December 2025 [5]. His political career has seen him move across several parties over two decades — contesting earlier elections under Barisan Nasional/UMNO, then transitioning to BERSATU, before affiliating with GAGASAN under the GRS umbrella [6].

Known for

Arifin is best known as the long-serving assemblyman for Membakut, a seat he has held continuously since 2004 across multiple party affiliations and state administrations. He served as Sabah's State Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation under the GRS government, championing initiatives including a proposed Sabah Space Industrial Park and digital transformation programmes for the state. He is also publicly recognised as the son-in-law of Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman, a familial connection that has been noted by multiple news outlets in reporting on Sabah's political landscape.

Political positions

During his tenure as State Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Arifin advocated for Sabah's development as a technology and aerospace hub, including a feasibility study for a proposed Space Industrial Park intended to be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. He promoted digital transformation in public administration through AI and IR 4.0 technologies, and supported initiatives to widen access to higher education for Sabah students, including state-funded examination assistance and bursaries targeting B40 families. As State Minister of Local Government and Housing and the state exco in charge of Islamic Affairs since December 2025, he has taken public positions on the enforcement of Islamic orthodoxy in Sabah, calling for investigation of a deviant religious group and condemning an incident of alleged Quran desecration, urging authorities including the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) and the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department (Jheains) to act. He has broadly aligned himself with the GRS coalition's Sabah Maju Jaya development agenda under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.

Education

1. 21 March 2022Earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Universiti Putra Malaysia.⛓

Political career

1. March 2004First elected as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Membakut, a seat he has held continuously since.⛓
2. 12 December 2018Left Barisan Nasional (UMNO) and became an independent assemblyman after winning the 2018 state election on a BN ticket.⛓
3. 6 April 2019Joined Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU).⛓
4. January 2023Appointed State Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in the GRS state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.⛓
5. 29 November 2025Retained the Membakut seat in the 17th Sabah state election, contesting under GRS/GAGASAN with a majority of 2,017 votes in a ten-cornered contest.⛓
6. December 2025Sworn in as State Minister of Local Government and Housing in the new GRS Cabinet; also holds responsibility for state Islamic Affairs.⛓

Election history

• 2025MembakutWon39.95%⛓
• 2020MembakutWon⛓
• 2018MembakutWon⛓
• 2013MembakutWon⛓
• 2008MembakutWon⛓
• 2004MembakutWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentBernama reported that Arifin, as GAGASAN/GRS vice-president and Membakut incumbent, was sworn into the Sabah Cabinet in December 2025 as State Minister of Local Government and Housing following GRS's return to power in the 17th Sabah state election.⛓
• VerifiedFactsFree Malaysia Today reported the official 2025 Membakut result: Arifin Arif (GRS) won with 5,668 votes and a majority of 2,017 over the nearest BN candidate, in a ten-cornered contest.⛓
• OppositionBernama reported that BN fielded a candidate against the incumbent Arifin at Membakut in the 2025 state election, framing the contest as an attempt to unseat a seat-holder with over two decades of tenure.⛓
• PublicAccording to Malaysiakini, a whistleblower filed a counter police report against Arifin asserting that an offer was made to settle a corruption-related matter, while Arifin denied the claims and lodged his own police report calling the reports slanderous. Both matters remain unresolved at the reporting stage.⛓
• ExpertSinar Daily noted that Arifin, as son-in-law of Sabah Governor Tun Musa Aman, was among the family members of the governor's household listed as GRS candidates in the 2025 Sabah election, a pattern the outlet described as relatives of Musa Aman dominating the candidate list.⛓