Name Joseph Kurup Spouse(s) Melinda Mak Soak Fong | Role Politician | |
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Preceded by Bernard Maraat (PBRS—BN) Children Arthur Joseph KurupBrian Joseph KurupKevin Joseph Kurup | ||
Political party PBRS–Barisan Nasional | ||
International Year of Forests (Forests 2011) -- H.E. Mr. Tan Sri Joseph Kurup
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup (born 15 December 1944) is a Malaysian politician. He is the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Pensiangan constituency in Sabah and a Minister in the Department of Prime Minister Najib Razak. He is the founder and President of the United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) in the Barisan Nasional coalition.
Contents
- International Year of Forests Forests 2011 HE Mr Tan Sri Joseph Kurup
- Divorce first before convert proposal to protect children Joseph Kurup
- Sabah state politics 19852008
- Federal politics 2008present
- References
Divorce first before convert proposal, to protect children: Joseph Kurup
Sabah state politics (1985–2008)
Kurup was a member of the United Sabah Party (PBS) when it was founded in 1985. In the 1985 election he won the seat of Sook in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, and the PBS, led by Joseph Pairin Kitingan, toppled the Barisan Nasional government. Over the following nine years, Kurup served as a minister in Kitingan's government.
In 1994, Kitingan's government came to an end after a series of defections from the PBS to Barisan Nasional. Kurup was one of the leaders of the defectors, setting up the PBRS, gaining admission for the new party to Barisan Nasional, and winning appointment as Deputy Chief Minister in the new Barisan Nasional state government. In 1999, Kurup faced his first electoral test since the defection, and suffered a double defeat: he ran against Kitingan in the federal seat of Keningau, and lost, and was also defeated by Kitingan's brother Jeffrey for the State Assembly seat of Bingkor. It was not until 2004, after the PBS had also joined Barisan Nasional, that Kurup returned to an elected position, winning back the State Assembly seat of Sook. Meanwhile, in 2002, he had been challenged for the PBRS presidency by Jeffrey Kitingan, and survived after a decision by the Registrar of Societies. Jeffrey had left PBS to join PBRS in 1999.
Federal politics (2008–present)
Kurup was elected to the federal Parliament in the 2008 election, giving up his State Assembly seat to replace PBRS Secretary-General Bernard Maraat as the party's candidate in the seat of Pensiangan. He was elected unopposed after the People's Justice Party (PKR) candidate had been unable to submit his nomination on time. PKR challenged Kurup's election in court, but Kurup prevailed. After his election, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi appointed Kurup as Deputy Minister for Rural and Regional Development. He shifted to Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environment when Najib Razak became Prime Minister in 2009. After defending his seat in the 2013 election, he was promoted to Cabinet, as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.