Nancy Shukri

Summary

Datuk Seri Nancy binti Shukri is a PBB politician and lawyer from Kuching, Sarawak, serving as MP for Santubong since 2022 and as Minister of Women, Family and Community Development under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. A four-term parliamentarian first elected in 2008, she is the longest-serving female federal minister from Sarawak, having held cabinet portfolios across legal affairs, plantation industries, tourism, and women's affairs under multiple administrations. Her current ministry oversees child protection, gender equality, social welfare, and the implementation of Malaysia's Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022.

Biography

Datuk Seri Nancy binti Shukri (born 5 August 1961, Kuching) is a Malaysian lawyer and politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Santubong, Sarawak, since 2022, representing Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) banner. She currently serves as Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, appointed on 3 December 2022 under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's cabinet — a tenure that makes her the longest-serving female federal minister from Sarawak [1]. Born the tenth of eleven siblings, her father was of Malay and Melanau descent while her mother carried Scottish, Iban, and Chinese ancestry [1]. She received her early education in Kuching before obtaining a Diploma in Public Administration from Institut Teknologi MARA (1985), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Hull, England (1990), and an Executive MBA from Ohio University (1998) with Beta Gamma Sigma Distinction [1]. Nancy began her public service career in the Legal Division of Kuching North City Hall (1992–2003) before serving as Political Secretary to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud (2006–2008), which she credits as a formative influence on her entry into electoral politics [1]. She was first elected to the Dewan Rakyat in March 2008 for Batang Sadong, retaining the seat in GE13 (2013) and GE14 (2018) before moving to Santubong in GE15 (2022), where she won with a majority of 38,681 votes [2]. Prior to her current portfolio, she served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department overseeing legal affairs (2013–2016), briefly as acting Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (2016), and as Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (2020–2022) [1].

Known for

Nancy Shukri is recognised as the longest-serving female federal minister from Sarawak, having held cabinet posts across four different administrations since 2013 [1]. She is closely associated with the implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, overseeing the establishment of the Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment under her ministry [3]. She is also noted for publicly calling on all political parties to field at least 30 percent female candidates to address what she described as an 'alarming' underrepresentation of women in the Dewan Rakyat [4].

Political positions

As Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Nancy Shukri has focused on implementing the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, pushing for a dedicated tribunal to provide victims a faster and lower-cost avenue for redress [3]. She has raised public concern over teenage pregnancies, underage marriage, and baby abandonment, citing data showing 44,263 teenage pregnancies over five years nationally and calling for legislative reform on the minimum marriage age in Sarawak [5]. On women's political participation, she has stated that women's representation falling short of 30 percent in the Dewan Rakyat 'needs to change' and has urged parties to commit to a 30 percent female candidate quota [4]. On Sarawak's inter-governmental sensitivities, she previously cautioned that PAS's RUU355 bill would not receive Sarawak's support if it included hudud provisions, citing the state's predominantly non-Muslim population and the primacy of state governments in implementation [1]. She has also proposed the establishment of a dedicated children's institution within the federal government to better safeguard child welfare [1].

Education

1. 1968–1973Attended Sekolah Rendah Padungan Council School, Kuching.⛓
2. 1974–1978Attended Green Road Secondary School, Kuching.⛓
3. 1985Obtained a Diploma in Public Administration from Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM).⛓
4. 1990Obtained a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Hull, England.⛓
5. 1998Obtained an Executive MBA from Ohio University, graduating with Beta Gamma Sigma Distinction.⛓

Before politics

1. 1992–2003Served as a legal adviser in the Legal Division of Kuching North City Hall.⛓
2. 2006–2008Served as Political Secretary to Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, an experience she credits as formative to her entry into electoral politics.⛓

Political career

1. 2007Appointed Assistant Secretary-General of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).⛓
2. March 2008First elected to the Dewan Rakyat as MP for Batang Sadong in GE12.⛓
3. 2011Became Secretary of the PBB Women's Wing after completing her tenure as Assistant Secretary-General.⛓
4. 20 March 2012Served as a member of the Dewan Rakyat Select Committee on the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant, reviewing public concerns and safety standards.⛓
5. 16 May 2013Appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department by PM Najib Razak, overseeing legal affairs and several government agencies including the Malaysian Innovation Agency and the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.⛓
6. 28 June 2016Portfolio restructured in a cabinet reshuffle; moved from legal affairs oversight to managing innovation, technology, and nuclear power portfolios within the Prime Minister's Department.⛓
7. 2016Briefly served as acting Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities after Douglas Uggah Embas resigned to become Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister.⛓
8. 9 March 2020Appointed Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture by PM Muhyiddin Yassin. Led development of the National Tourism Policy 2020–2030 and managed the ministry through the COVID-19 pandemic, including cancelling the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign.⛓
9. October 2021Oversaw the creation of the National Cultural Policy (DAKEN) 2021, providing a development roadmap for Malaysian art, culture, and heritage industries.⛓
10. 19 November 2022Won the Santubong parliamentary seat in GE15 with 43,739 votes and a majority of 38,681, moving from Batang Sadong.⛓
11. 3 December 2022Appointed Minister of Women, Family and Community Development by PM Anwar Ibrahim, becoming the longest-serving female federal minister from Sarawak.⛓
12. 11 October 2023Public Service Department approved appointments for the Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 (Act 840), following her ministry's sustained efforts to establish the body.⛓

Election history

• 2022SantubongWon84.4%⛓
• 2018Batang SadongWon⛓
• 2013Batang SadongWon⛓
• 2008Batang SadongWon73.6%⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs Minister of Women, Family and Community Development since December 2022, Nancy Shukri has driven implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022 including the establishment of its tribunal, and has championed policy on child welfare, teenage pregnancy, and women's economic empowerment within the Anwar Ibrahim cabinet.⛓
• VerifiedFactsNancy Shukri won the Santubong seat in GE15 with 43,739 votes and a majority of 38,681 over Pakatan Harapan's Mohamad Zen Peli (5,058 votes) and independent Affendi Jeman (3,012 votes). She is the longest-serving female federal minister from Sarawak, with continuous ministerial service dating to May 2013.⛓
• PublicBernama reported that Nancy advanced RM31,082.25 from her MP office's funds to Wisma Putra to help repatriate the remains of a Sarawakian worker who died in Seoul, South Korea, in December 2023, illustrating a pattern of direct constituency intervention on welfare and consular matters.⛓