TopicsPolitician AnalysisRiduan Rubin

Riduan Rubin

Party
KDM · Homeland Solidarity Party
Constituency
Tenom
State
Sabah
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Why this matters to you

As MP for Tenom — an interior Sabah constituency of roughly 50,000 people dependent on agriculture and tourism — Riduan Rubin's parliamentary questions on rural development funding, rural employment frameworks, and Sabah's economic sectors directly shape how federal resources are allocated to communities in the interior (Source: parlimen.gov.my; thestar.com.my). His seat on the Special Select Committee on Health means he participates in oversight of healthcare policy that affects public hospital services and rural health access for Tenom residents (Source: parlimen.gov.my). Sitting as an independent in a 222-seat Dewan Rakyat, his individual vote holds limited weight on contested legislation but his constituency-level advocacy determines the visibility of Tenom's development needs in federal budget deliberations.

Summary

Riduan bin Rubin is the independent Member of Parliament for Tenom (P181), Sabah, elected in the 2022 GE15 — his first election — after resigning from Bersatu and contesting under the banner of KDM. He won with a 1,108-vote majority in a five-cornered fight, defeating the incumbent Pakatan Harapan MP. In Parliament, he sits on the Special Select Committee on Health and has consistently raised questions on rural development, Sabah's economic potential, and interior constituency issues.

Biography

Riduan bin Rubin is a Malaysian politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tenom (P181), Sabah, since November 2022 [1]. He is a member of the Social Democratic Harmony Party (KDM) and sits in the Dewan Rakyat as an independent (BEBAS) member [1]. He was formerly the Bersatu Youth (Armada) chief in Tenom before resigning from the party ahead of the nomination day for the 15th General Election (GE15) on 5 November 2022 [2]. A few days after filing his nomination as an independent candidate, he joined KDM at the invitation of then-KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony, though he contested and remains registered in Parliament as an independent [3]. He won the Tenom seat in GE15 with 10,027 votes and a majority of 1,108 votes, defeating the incumbent Pakatan Harapan MP Noorita Sual and four other candidates in a five-cornered contest [2]. He is one of only two KDM-affiliated MPs in the 15th Parliament, alongside Kota Marudu MP Wetrom Bahanda [4]. He is the son of Datuk Rubin Balang, the Kemabong state assemblyman and vice-president of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah [4]. His GE15 win was his electoral debut [4]. In Parliament, he has been appointed to the Special Select Committee on Health [1] and has raised questions on rural development policy, Sabah's economic potential, and cybersecurity [5].

Known for

Riduan Rubin is known for his debut electoral victory in GE15 as an independent candidate, defeating the incumbent MP in a five-cornered fight in Tenom [2]. He is one of only two KDM-linked MPs in the 15th Parliament and one of only two independent candidates to win seats nationally in that election [4]. His campaign drew attention due to his prior role as Bersatu Tenom Armada chief and the public dispute over the alleged involvement of his father, Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang, in his candidacy [3].

Political positions

Riduan sits as an independent (BEBAS) in the Dewan Rakyat with a KDM party affiliation. In Parliament, he has directed questions toward Sabah's economic development potential — specifically seeking government positions on sectors that could make Sabah a new industrial powerhouse, including clean energy and the biomass sector [6][7]. He has also questioned the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development on rural monitoring frameworks covering rural entrepreneurship and rural tourism, signalling concern for employment generation and stemming youth migration from interior Sabah [8][9]. In July 2026, he directed a question to the Home Affairs Minister on cybersecurity risk implications of a proposed minimum age requirement for social media use [6][10]. He has publicly expressed support for the Sabah Chief Minister's Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development roadmap and highlighted Tenom's potential in agriculture and tourism [6][11]. As a member of the Special Select Committee on Health in the Dewan Rakyat, he participates in parliamentary oversight of health policy [1]. His overall positioning reflects an interior Sabah constituency focus: rural development, agriculture, tourism, and connectivity.

References

  1. [1]parlimen.gov.my
  2. [2]freemalaysiatoday.com
  3. [3]malaymail.com
  4. [4]en.wikipedia.org
  5. [5]parlimen.gov.my; thestar.com.my
  6. [6]thestar.com.my
  7. [7]November 2023
  8. [8]parlimen.gov.my Hansard
  9. [9]December 2025
  10. [10]July 2026
  11. [11]January 2023

Before politics

  1. Pre-2022Served as Bersatu (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) Youth (Armada) chief in Tenom, a position he held until resigning from the party before the GE15 nomination day on 5 November 2022.⛓

Political career

  1. 5 November 2022Filed nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Tenom federal seat (P181) in GE15, having resigned from Bersatu ahead of nomination day.⛓
  2. 11 November 2022Joined Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) at the invitation of KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony, while remaining on the ballot as an independent candidate under anti-party-hopping law constraints.⛓
  3. 19 November 2022Won the Tenom parliamentary seat in GE15 with 10,027 votes and a majority of 1,108 votes, defeating four other candidates including incumbent Pakatan Harapan MP Noorita Sual, in his electoral debut.⛓
  4. 15 March 2023Retained his Tenom MP seat after the Kota Kinabalu High Court dismissed the election petition filed against him by KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony, with costs of RM20,000 awarded against the petitioner.⛓
  5. From November 2022Appointed member of the Dewan Rakyat Special Select Committee on Health (Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Kesihatan).⛓
  6. October 2024Witnessed the signing of the Yayasan PETRONAS–Sabah Forestry Department partnership to restore the Kungkular Forest Reserve in Tenom, a programme involving 948 residents from 202 households in agroforestry activities.⛓

Election history

  • 2022Tenom (P181)Won35%⛓

Stance evolution

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

  1. 2023KDM
    • I see this decision as a symbol of democratic freedom in this country.

      Statement issued by Riduan Rubin after the Kota Kinabalu High Court dismissed the election petition against him, confirming his status as Tenom MP. · Source

    • Now he's back to focusing his time and energy on developing the state, we in Tenom are looking forward to his leadership in trying to turn around our fortunes.

      Statement by Riduan Rubin welcoming Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor's return to full focus on state development, highlighting Tenom's agriculture and tourism potential. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • VerifiedFactsRiduan bin Rubin is listed on the official Parliament of Malaysia portal as YB Tuan Riduan bin Rubin, BEBAS, P181, Tenom, member of the 15th Dewan Rakyat.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsThe Kota Kinabalu High Court on 15 March 2023 dismissed the election petition filed by KDM president Datuk Peter Anthony against Riduan's GE15 win, confirming his mandate. The petition was struck out for non-compliance with election petition rules and the judge also ruled Peter was a convicted criminal at the time of nomination.⛓
  • GovernmentDuring GE15, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor did not endorse Riduan's candidacy, instead giving full backing to the GRS-BN candidate Datuk Jamawi Jaafar and stating that only a GRS-Barisan candidate would be endorsed. Hajiji also indicated GRS would take action against Riduan's father, Rubin Balang, if it was proven he had campaigned for his son.⛓
  • OppositionAccording to Free Malaysia Today, Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin urged GRS to take action against Riduan's father Rubin Balang, alleging Rubin was campaigning for his son against the GRS-BN electoral pact.⛓
  • PublicRiduan Rubin's father, Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang, publicly stated he had no authority to object to his son's decision to join KDM and contest as an independent, maintaining his son acted on his own accord.⛓

Sources

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