TopicsPolitician AnalysisRipin Lamat

Ripin Lamat

Party
PBB · United Bumiputera Heritage Party
Coalition
GPS
Constituency
Lambir
State
Sarawak
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Why this matters to you

As Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Ripin Lamat's portfolio directly affects Sarawakians seeking business financing, youth programmes, and sports development funding — including the allocation of state resources for young entrepreneurs and franchise opportunities in the Miri region and beyond (Source: sinardaily.my). His support for Sarawak's e-cigarette ban means vape sellers and consumers in the state face enforcement of that prohibition, with the state government having signalled no reversal of the policy (Source: freemalaysiatoday.com). As ADUN for Lambir, residents of that constituency's seven polling districts look to him as their representative in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly for local development and constituency matters.

Summary

Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat is a PBB-GPS politician who has represented the N62 Lambir state constituency in the Miri Division of Sarawak since 2011, winning three consecutive state elections. He currently serves as Sarawak's Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development following his appointment to the post-2021 election cabinet. He has been a public advocate for Sarawak's e-cigarette ban and for expanding entrepreneurship and franchise opportunities for Sarawakians.

Biography

Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat is a Malaysian politician from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a component party of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), and the elected Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (ADUN) for N62 Lambir in the Miri Division of Sarawak. He was first elected to the Sarawak State Assembly in the 10th Sarawak State Election held on 16 April 2011, when he stood as a new candidate under the then-Barisan Nasional banner [1]. He successfully retained the Lambir seat in the 11th Sarawak State Election on 7 May 2016, polling 7,503 votes with a majority of 4,907 votes [1]. In the 12th Sarawak State Election on 18 December 2021, he defended the seat under the GPS ticket, receiving 6,860 votes (34.5% vote share) with a majority of 5,562 votes in a four-cornered contest [2]. Following GPS's victory in the 2021 state election, he was appointed Assistant Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development in the Sarawak Cabinet announced on 30 December 2021 [3]. Following a constitutional amendment gazetted on 1 March 2022, the post was renamed Deputy Minister; Ripin subsequently held the title of Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development [4]. Prior to his cabinet appointment, he served as chairman of the Sarawak Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board, a position he assumed in July 2020, replacing the previous chairman [5]. His constituency of Lambir, created in the 1987 redistribution, has been represented in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly since 1991 and comprises seven polling districts as of the 2022 gazette [4].

Known for

Ripin Lamat is known as a three-term assemblyman for the Lambir seat in the Miri Division, having held the constituency since 2011 under both Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak. He is identified with the youth, sports, and entrepreneur development portfolio at the Sarawak state level, serving as Deputy Minister in that ministry following the 2021 state election. He has also publicly aligned with Sarawak's ban on e-cigarettes, framing the issue in terms of protecting the younger generation.

Political positions

Ripin Lamat has publicly supported Sarawak's state-wide ban on the sale and use of electronic cigarettes, stating that e-cigarette liquids pose a threat to the values and health of future generations [5][6]. In his role overseeing entrepreneur development, he has advocated for greater participation in the franchise industry and the expansion of business opportunities for Sarawakians, citing job creation as a key benefit [7][8]. No formal positions on federal-level policy issues were found in allowlist sources during the research period.

References

  1. [1]malaysiakini.com
  2. [2]election.thestar.com.my
  3. [3]malaymail.com
  4. [4]en.wikipedia.org
  5. [5]freemalaysiatoday.com
  6. [6]August 2025
  7. [7]sinardaily.my
  8. [8]July 2023

Political career

  1. April 2011First elected as ADUN for N62 Lambir under Barisan Nasional (PBB) in the 10th Sarawak State Election, standing as a new candidate.⛓
  2. May 2016Re-elected as ADUN for N62 Lambir under Barisan Nasional (PBB) in the 11th Sarawak State Election, receiving 7,503 votes with a majority of 4,907.⛓
  3. July 2020Appointed chairman of the Sarawak Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB), replacing the previous DAP-nominated chairman.⛓
  4. December 2021Re-elected as ADUN for N62 Lambir under GPS (PBB) in the 12th Sarawak State Election, receiving 6,860 votes (34.5% vote share) with a majority of 5,562 in a four-cornered contest.⛓
  5. 30 December 2021Appointed Assistant Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development in the Sarawak Cabinet following GPS's victory in the 12th state election; the post was subsequently renamed Deputy Minister effective 1 March 2022.⛓

Election history

  • 2021N62 LambirWon34.5%⛓
  • 2016N62 LambirWon67.3%⛓
  • 2011N62 LambirWon⛓

Stance evolution

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

  1. 2025PBB
    • E-cigarette liquids will destroy our young generation and will ultimately undermine the values of future generations.

      Ripin Lamat, as Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, commenting on the state's ban on e-cigarettes. · Source

  2. Undated
    • We want as many applications (from businesses) to be involved in franchising as possible because we want to activate this type of business activity.

      Ripin Lamat speaking at the BizFrancais@Sarawak 2023 event on expanding franchise opportunities in the state. · Source

Perspectives on key issues

  • GovernmentGPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari confirmed Ripin Lamat as one of five GPS incumbents retained for the Miri Division in the 12th Sarawak State Election, stating the incumbents had worked hard serving their areas.⛓
  • VerifiedFactsRipin Lamat won the Lambir seat at three consecutive Sarawak state elections (2011, 2016, 2021) and serves as Sarawak Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development as of the post-2021 cabinet.⛓
  • IndustrySarawak vape sellers were directed by Ripin Lamat to switch to other businesses following the state government's decision to ban e-cigarettes, with no reversal of that position indicated.⛓

Sources

Every URL the AI used to draft this profile, for editor and reader verification.

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