Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew

Summary

Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew is a lawyer-turned-politician serving as SUPP's Secretary-General and Sarawak's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts since January 2022. He has represented the Piasau state constituency in Miri since 2016, having twice contested — and lost — the Miri parliamentary seat at GE13 (2013) and GE14 (2018). His principal policy focus is on growing Sarawak's tourism sector and asserting the state's constitutional rights over tourism governance under MA63.

Biography

Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew (Chinese: 陳超耀) is a Malaysian lawyer and politician from the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), a component party of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition [1]. He has served as State Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts of Sarawak in charge of Tourism since January 2022, and as Member of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Piasau since May 2016 [1]. He was born in the Crown Colony of Sarawak [2]. Ting read law at the North London Polytechnic between 1979 and 1982, graduating with an LL.B. with second class honours, first division, before obtaining an LLM from the University of Cambridge, Darwin College, in 1983–1984 [3]. He has served as Secretary-General of SUPP since September 2014 [1]. Prior to his electoral career, Ting served as political secretary to former SUPP president and Miri MP Peter Chin Fah Kui from May 2004 to May 2013, spanning Chin's tenures as Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities and later as Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water [1]. He first contested the Miri parliamentary seat at GE13 in 2013, losing to PKR's Michael Teo Yu Keng, and lost again at GE14 in 2018 in the same seat [4]. He won the Piasau state seat at the 11th Sarawak State Election in 2016 with a majority of 2,112 votes, defeating DAP's Alan Ling Sie Kiong [5]. He retained the seat at the 12th Sarawak State Election in December 2021 with an expanded majority of 4,988 votes [6]. He was appointed Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture in August 2019 and redesignated as Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts in January 2022 [7].

Known for

Sebastian Ting is defined politically by his dual roles as SUPP Secretary-General since 2014 and as Sarawak's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, where he has been a consistent public voice on the state's tourism recovery and growth agenda. He has championed Sarawak's push to move tourism from the federal legislative list to the concurrent list under the Federal Constitution, framing it as a matter of the state's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) [8]. He also represents a predominantly Chinese-majority urban constituency in Miri, where SUPP has long been the dominant Chinese-based party.

Political positions

Ting has consistently advocated for Sarawak's greater autonomy over tourism governance. He has publicly stated that the Sarawak government's position is that the Federal Constitution should be amended to move tourism from the Federal List to the Concurrent List in the Ninth Schedule, which would allow the state to legislate on matters such as tourism investment promotion, licensing of tour guides, tourism tax collection, and the Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home programme [9]. In his 2021 election manifesto, he committed to allocating approximately RM1 million annually from his RM5 million constituency allocation toward children's education, and highlighted affordable housing and family health as Piasau development priorities [10]. In his tourism portfolio, he has actively promoted international air connectivity recovery post-pandemic and supported Sarawak's strategic partnership with Malaysia Airlines Group ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 [11].

Education

1. 1979–1982Attended North London Polytechnic, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) with second class honours, first division.⛓
2. 1983–1984Obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Cambridge, Darwin College, with second class, second division.⛓

Before politics

1. May 2004 – May 2013Served as political secretary to former SUPP president and Miri MP Peter Chin Fah Kui, spanning Chin's roles as Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (2004–2009) and Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water (2009–2013).⛓

Political career

1. September 2014Appointed Secretary-General of SUPP, succeeding Sim Kui Hian who had been elected party president following Peter Chin's retirement from public office.⛓
2. May 2013Contested the Miri parliamentary seat under SUPP/BN at GE13; lost to PKR's Michael Teo Yu Keng.⛓
3. May 2016Won the Piasau state seat at the 11th Sarawak State Election under BN-SUPP, defeating DAP's Alan Ling Sie Kiong with a majority of 2,112 votes.⛓
4. May 2018Contested the Miri parliamentary seat at GE14 under BN-SUPP, receiving 27.5% of votes (22,076 votes); lost to PKR incumbent Michael Teo Yu Keng who retained the seat with a majority of 13,663.⛓
5. 29 August 2019Sworn in as Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Sarawak following a cabinet reshuffle announced by Chief Minister Abang Johari on 22 August 2019.⛓
6. 18 December 2021Retained the Piasau state seat at the 12th Sarawak State Election under GPS-SUPP, receiving 6,790 votes (31.8%) with a majority of 4,988 at a voter turnout of 47.7%.⛓
7. 4 January 2022Appointed State Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts in charge of Tourism, following Chief Minister Abang Johari's new cabinet lineup announced on 30 December 2021.⛓

Election history

• 2021Piasau (State)Won31.8%⛓
• 2018Miri (Parliament)Lost27.5%⛓
• 2016Piasau (State)Won⛓
• 2013Miri (Parliament)Lost⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs Deputy Minister, Ting has articulated the Sarawak state government's position that tourism should be moved from the Federal List to the Concurrent List of the Federal Constitution's Ninth Schedule, giving Sarawak authority to legislate on tourism investment, licensing, and taxation in line with MA63 rights.⛓
• OppositionDuring the 2021 state election, DAP candidate Peter Hee Leh Keng alleged via social media that Ting had not visited Kampung Pasir and had neglected constituents' welfare. Ting rejected the allegation, stating he and his team had visited Kampung Pasir 40 times including during the MCO period.⛓
• VerifiedFactsThe Star's election data confirms Ting won the Piasau seat in 2021 with 6,790 votes (31.8%) and a majority of 4,988 votes at a voter turnout of 47.7% from 21,377 registered voters.⛓