Bung Moktar passes away
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin breathed his last at around 1.46 am this morning at a private hospital here. The sad news of the passing of the Kinabatangan Member of Parliament was shared by the late MP’s son, Naim Kurniawan Moktar, on his Facebook.
“Assalamualaikum. It is with great sadness that we are informed that our father, Moktar bin Radin, breathed his last on 05 December 2026, at 1.46 am (14 Jamadilakhir 1447H).
“Please everyone pray that his soul may be blessed and placed with those who believe. Al-Fatihah,” he said.
It is understood that the deceased was suffering from kidney failure and had been admitted to the hospital here since yesterday morning.
Apart from his family members, political leaders and friends have also been at the hospital since news of his admission to the hospital spread late yesterday evening.
Earlier, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Musa Aman also visited the Lamag assemblyman while he was undergoing treatment last night.
Bung Moktar defended the Lamag state seat in the 17th Sabah Legislative Assembly General Election (GE Sabah) which ended last Saturday. The late Bung Moktar was born on 14 September 1959 in Kampung Bilit, Sukau, Kinabatangan, Sabah.
He received his early education at Kampung Bilit National School before continuing his studies at Sandakan National Secondary School and then furthering his studies at the National University of Malaysia (UKM).
Before becoming active in politics, the late Bung Moktar served as an officer in the Special Affairs Department (JASA) in Sandakan from 1987 to 1990, before joining the People’s Trust Council (MARA) from 1990 to 1992.
From 1994 to 1999, the deceased was appointed as Political Secretary to the Sabah Minister of Finance.
The late’s political career began in 1999 when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, a position he held for more than two decades.
In 2020, he also won the Lamag State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seat in the 16th State Election (PRN16) and was later appointed as Deputy Chief Minister I of Sabah and also the state’s Minister of Works from 2020 to 2023.
Bung Moktar also held the position of Chairman of FELCRA Berhad from 2013 to 2018. Throughout his involvement in politics, he was known as one of the most outspoken and influential Sabah UMNO leaders.
-Agency
