Yusof Apdal

Summary

Mohammad Yusof Apdal is a WARISAN politician from Sabah who serves simultaneously as the federal MP for Lahad Datu and as the Silam state assemblyman following the November 2025 Sabah state election. A former UMNO assemblyman who crossed to WARISAN in December 2018, he is the younger brother of WARISAN president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and currently holds the position of Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in Malaysia's Unity Government.

Biography

Dato' Dr. Mohammad Yusof bin Apdal (born 4 January 1960) is a Malaysian politician from the Heritage Party (WARISAN) serving as the Member of Parliament for Lahad Datu since November 2022 [1] and as a Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Silam following the 17th Sabah State Election on 29 November 2025 [2]. He is the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Unity Government since December 2023, having previously served as Deputy Minister of Higher Education from December 2022 to December 2023 [1]. He is the Deputy Division Chief of Lahad Datu for WARISAN and the younger brother of WARISAN president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal [1]. Yusof began his political career within UMNO, serving as Silam UMNO Division Chief [3] and as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Lahad Datu under BN from May 2013 to May 2018 [1]. He contested the Lahad Datu state seat under UMNO in the 2018 Sabah state election but was defeated [3]. He left UMNO and joined WARISAN in December 2018 [3]. Following the 2019 redelineation of Sabah's electoral boundaries, the former parliamentary constituency of Silam was renamed Lahad Datu while the state constituency of Lahad Datu was renamed Silam [2]. Yusof won the Lahad Datu parliamentary seat for WARISAN in GE15 (November 2022) with 27,116 votes and a majority of 4,376 [4]. In the 17th Sabah State Election, he contested and won the Silam state seat in an eight-cornered fight with a majority of 1,257 votes [2].

Known for

Yusof Apdal is known as a Sabah east coast politician who crossed from UMNO to WARISAN in December 2018 to align with his elder brother and party president, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal [3]. At the federal level, he has served in successive deputy minister roles covering higher education and then science, technology and innovation under the Unity Government [1]. He is also recognised for raising constituency-level issues such as Pan Borneo Highway compensation for Silam residents in the Sabah State Assembly [2].

Political positions

Yusof Apdal has consistently championed Sabah's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) as part of WARISAN's core platform. In parliament, he has spoken on Malaysia's space sector development, stating that Malaysia collaborates with ASEAN neighbours rather than competing, and noting that Malaysia was still reviewing the legal suitability of the Artemis Accords before committing [3][5]. He has also addressed the status of a proposed Malaysian rocket launch site, reporting that the project remained at the feasibility study and site evaluation stage as of October 2025 [6]. At the state level, he raised concerns over demolition actions against residents who allegedly had not received compensation under the Pan Borneo Highway project in Silam [2][7].

Political career

1. May 2013Elected as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for the Lahad Datu state seat under Barisan Nasional (UMNO).⛓
2. May 2018Lost the Lahad Datu state seat as a BN-UMNO candidate in the 2018 Sabah state election, ending his term as Lahad Datu assemblyman.⛓
3. December 2018Left UMNO and joined WARISAN.⛓
4. November 2022Won the Lahad Datu parliamentary seat (P188) for WARISAN in GE15 with 27,116 votes and a majority of 4,376 votes.⛓
5. December 2022Appointed Deputy Minister of Higher Education in PM Anwar Ibrahim's Unity Government cabinet.⛓
6. December 2023Appointed Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation following a cabinet reshuffle, serving under Minister Chang Lih Kang.⛓
7. November 2025Won the Silam state seat for WARISAN in the 17th Sabah State Election in an eight-cornered contest with a majority of 1,257 votes, while retaining his federal MP position for Lahad Datu.⛓
8. April 2026Raised concerns in the Sabah State Assembly over demolition actions against residents who had allegedly not received compensation under the Pan Borneo Highway project in Silam.⛓

Election history

• 2025Silam (State)Won⛓
• 2022Lahad Datu (Parliament, P188)Won⛓
• 2018Lahad Datu (State)Lost⛓
• 2013Lahad Datu (State)Won⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs a Unity Government Deputy Minister, Yusof Apdal represents WARISAN's participation in the federal administration, supporting Malaysia's science and technology agenda including space sector development and ASEAN collaboration.⛓
• OppositionA political analyst cited by FMT questioned whether WARISAN members holding federal government positions — including Yusof Apdal as deputy minister — should have resigned given Warisan's decision to contest the 2025 Sabah state election independently rather than as part of the Unity Government coalition.⛓
• AffectedSilam residents allegedly affected by demolition actions without compensation under the Pan Borneo Highway project had their concerns raised by Yusof Apdal in the Sabah State Assembly in April 2026, with the Infrastructure Minister urging assemblymen to engage residents on the project's importance.⛓
• VerifiedFactsYusof Apdal won the Silam state seat in the 17th Sabah State Election (29 November 2025) with a majority of 1,257 votes in an eight-cornered contest, confirmed by Bernama, NST and FMT. He has concurrently held the Lahad Datu parliamentary seat since November 2022.⛓