By Datuk Ts Dr. Hj Ramli Amir, former President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Malaysia and Vice-President of CILT International for Southeast Asia
KOTA KINABALU: On 5 December 2025, at 1:46 AM, Sabah lost one of its most indomitable political figures. Datuk Seri Panglima Bung Moktar bin Radin, the six-term Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan and Chairman of Barisan Nasional Sabah, passed away at Gleneagles Hospital in Kota Kinabalu from kidney failure and a severe lung infection.
He was 66 years old, just six days after retaining his Lamag state seat with a slim 153-vote majority on 29 November—a testament to a man who fought until the very end.
The Son of Kinabatangan
Born in Sukau on 14 September 1959, Bung Moktar was of the Orang Sungai people, one of Sabah’s indigenous communities inhabiting the Kinabatangan River region. Politics coursed through his veins from birth—his grandparents and parents were staunch supporters of the United Sabah National Organisation (USNO).
His parents, Rashidah Jikrun and Radin Yatim, instilled in him values of public service and political engagement. He obtained his Master of Philosophy in Policy and Security Analysis from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
From USNO Youth to UMNO Stalwart
At just 19 years old in 1978, Bung Moktar entered politics as Kinabatangan USNO Division Youth Chief.
For over a decade, he honed his skills in grassroots politics, rising through USNO Youth leadership.
When UMNO replaced USNO in Sabah, he transitioned seamlessly, serving as Kinabatangan UMNO Youth Chief and Sabah UMNO Youth Information Chief from 1991.
In 1996, he became Kinabatangan UMNO Division Chief, a position he held for nearly three decades until his death.
Before Parliament, he worked with the Sandakan Special Affairs Department (1987–1990), MARA Sandakan (1990–1992), and as Political Secretary to the Sabah Minister of Finance (1994–1999).
The Road to Parliament
Bung Moktar’s first electoral attempt came in 1994 when he contested the Kuamut state seat as a Barisan Nasional candidate but lost.
This defeat did not deter him. In 1999, at age 40, he defeated Parti Bersatu Sabah candidate Ali Latip Taha for the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat, beginning an extraordinary 26-year tenure—making him the longest-serving MP for that constituency.
He retained the seat in 2004 (uncontested), 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2022, serving under six different Prime Ministers.
Though mostly a backbencher, serving as Deputy Chairman of the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club from 2008 to 2018, he was known for his straight-talking manner and sometimes controversial comments in Parliament.
His outspokenness occasionally sparked controversy—a 2007 sexist remark, a 2014 “Long live Hitler” tweet, and 2018 profanity in the Dewan Rakyat. Yet for all these lapses,
Bung Moktar remained unapologetically authentic in an era of political sanitisation. He served as Chairman of FELCRA Berhad from 2013 to 2018, though this position later led to RM2.8 million in corruption charges he was still contesting.
Saving UMNO Sabah: 2018 and Beyond
The year 2018 marked the defining moment of Bung Moktar’s career. When Barisan Nasional fell in the 14th General Election, Sabah UMNO collapsed spectacularly, with senior leaders defecting to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. Bung Moktar remained, eventually becoming Sabah UMNO/BN Chairman in December 2018.
His guiding motto became “kapal belum tenggelam”—”the ship has not sunk”. Where others fled, he rebuilt.
The vindication came on 18 January 2020 when Barisan Nasional won the Kimanis by-election, widely credited to his relentless restructuring of the party machinery.
This victory proved UMNO Sabah could rise from the ashes, and Bung Moktar was credited with saving the party from total collapse.
Deputy Chief Minister: Pinnacle and Fall
The September 2020 Sabah state election brought Bung Moktar to the peak of his career. Leading Sabah Barisan in alliance with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah under Hajiji Noor, they toppled the Warisan-led government. Bung Moktar was appointed Deputy Chief Minister I and Minister of Works, winning the newly-created Lamag state seat. He also became SAFA President in December 2020.
However, the alliance was always uneasy. On 5 January 2023, Bung Moktar launched the “Langkah Kinabalu”—attempting to withdraw UMNO Sabah support from Chief Minister Hajiji Noor. The gambit failed spectacularly when Pakatan Harapan threw support behind Hajiji.
Within days, Bung Moktar was stripped of his Deputy Chief Minister post and dropped from cabinet.
The Kinabalu Move was controversial and, by most accounts, a political miscalculation. Yet even in defeat, he remained defiant, continuing to lead Sabah BN in opposition to Hajiji’s government.
The Final Campaign: Fighting Until the End
When the 17th Sabah State Election was called for November 2025, Bung Moktar threw himself into the campaign with characteristic intensity. Despite being fully aware that rivals targeted him specifically, he remained confident that BN would deliver stability and reforms.
He fell ill after filing nomination papers on 15 November and was admitted to hospital with a lung infection. Doctors advised rest.
He refused. After discharge, he returned to campaigning, heading to Kinabatangan to vote on 29 November.
He won Lamag with just 153 votes—his narrowest victory, but a victory, nonetheless.
In the days following, despite being unwell, he continued meeting party members and following political developments.
On 4 December, his condition deteriorated with kidney complications. His wife, Zizie Ezette, posted: “They may not know his heart, but I do. For 16 years I’ve seen his kindness, his generosity, his selfless love for people”.
Hours later, he was gone.
Champion of His People
Beyond political machinations, Bung Moktar fundamentally served his constituency and community. He represented Kinabatangan—one of Malaysia’s largest and most remote parliamentary seats—for 26 years, understanding the challenges of rural Sabah.
As an Orang Sungai, he championed his community’s interests, promising to return Gomantong Cave to them so they could earn a livelihood.
His wife’s final tribute captured what those who knew him understood: beyond the bombast was a man of genuine kindness and generosity. “Some prayers don’t have words anymore, only tears and trust. Tonight, I leave one beloved soul in Allah’s hands,” she wrote.
Legacy: Passion and Commitment
How does one measure such a career? By controversies? Electoral victories? Saving a party? Or by an ambitious gambit that failed? Perhaps the truest measure lies simply in unwavering commitment. Committed to his party when others abandoned it.
Committed to his constituency through six terms. Committed to fighting, even when his body was failing.
Personally, whatever and however he carried himself, it was with full passion and commitment. In an age of careful political positioning, Bung Moktar was refreshingly authentic—a politician who said what he thought, fought for what he believed, and never apologised for being who he was.
He was not perfect.
His remarks caused offence. His judgment sometimes failed. He faced serious charges never resolved. But he was authentic in a way few politicians manage.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called him a “symbol of UMNO Sabah’s resilience”—resilience forged in 2018 when lesser men would have walked away.
Semoga rohnya dicucuri rahmat Allah. Al-Fatihah.
