Anifah Aman Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Yang Berhormat Senator Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima
Anifah Aman
Native Name:Malay: {{Script|Arab|حنيفة أمان
Office:Senator
Term Start:20 March 2023
Primeminister:Anwar Ibrahim
Office1:Chairman of the Labuan Corporation
Term Start1:19 June 2023
Monarch1:Abdullah

Ibrahim Iskandar
Primeminister1:Anwar Ibrahim
1Blankname1:Chief Executive Officer
1Namedata1:Rithuan Mohd Ismail
Predecessor1:Bashir Alias
Office2:Special Advisor to the
Chief Minister of Sabah
on International Relations
and Foreign Investments
Governor2:Juhar Mahiruddin
1Blankname2:Chief Minister
1Namedata2:Hajiji Noor
Term Start2:30 January 2023
Predecessor2:Position established
Office3:3rd President of the Love Sabah Party
Term Start3:26 July 2020
Deputy3:Wilfred Bumburing
Predecessor3:Wilfred Bumburing
Office4:Minister of Foreign Affairs
Monarch4:Mizan Zainal Abidin

Abdul Halim

Muhammad V
Term Start4:10 April 2009
Term End4:10 May 2018
Primeminister4:Najib Razak
Deputy4:A. Kohillan Pillay

Lee Chee Leong

Richard Riot Jaem

Hamzah Zainudin

Reezal Merican Naina Merican
Predecessor4:Rais Yatim
Successor4:Saifuddin Abdullah
Constituency4:Kimanis
Office5:Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities
Term Start5:27 March 2004
Term End5:18 March 2008
Minister5:Peter Chin Fah Kui
Monarch5:Sirajuddin

Mizan Zainal Abidin
Primeminister5:Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Constituency5:Kimanis
Successor5:A. Kohillan Pillay
Predecessor5:Himself
Office6:Deputy Minister of Primary Industries
Term Start6:15 December 1999
Term End6:26 March 2004
Minister6:Lim Keng Yaik
Monarch6:Salahuddin

Sirajuddin
Primeminister6:Mahathir Mohamad

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Constituency6:Beaufort
Successor6:Himself
Predecessor6:Hishammuddin Hussein
Constituency Mp7:Kimanis
Parliament7:Malaysian
Term Start7:21 March 2004
Term End7:16 August 2019
Majority7:5,108 (2004)
5,453 (2008)
5,723 (2013)
156 (2018)
Predecessor7:Nurnikman Abdullah
(BNUMNO)
Successor7:Mohamad Alamin
(BN–UMNO)
Constituency Mp8:Beaufort
Parliament8:Malaysian
Term Start8:29 November 1999
Term End8:21 March 2004
Majority8:6,800 (1999)
Predecessor8:Nurnikman Abdullah
(BN–UMNO)
Successor8:Azizah Mohd Dun
(BN–UMNO)
Office9:Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
Subterm9:1999–2018
Suboffice9:Barisan Nasional
Subterm10:2018–2019
Suboffice10:Independent
Office11:Faction represented in Dewan Negara
Subterm11:2023–
Suboffice11:Love Sabah Party
Birth Name:Anifah bin Aman @ Haniff Amman
Birth Date:1953 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Keningau, Crown Colony of North Borneo
Party:United Malays National Organisation (UMNO)

Independent

Love Sabah Party (PCS)
Otherparty:Barisan Nasional (BN)

Sabah Native Cooperation Party (PKAN)

Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)
Occupation:Politician
Relations:Musa Aman (elder brother)
Annuar Ayub (nephew)
Yamani Hafez Musa (nephew)
Spouse:Siti Rubiah Abdul Samad
Children:3 sons
Alma Mater:University College of Buckingham
Predecessor:Bashir Alias

Anifah bin Haji Aman @ Haniff Amman (Jawi: حنيفة بن أمان @ حنيف أمان; born 16 November 1953) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Senator since March 2023, Chairman of the Labuan Corporation since June 2023, Special Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sabah Hajiji Noor on International Relations and Foreign Investments since January 2023 and the 3rd President of the Love Sabah Party (PCS) since July 2020. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Minister of Primary Industries and Deputy Minister of Primary Industries in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Ministers Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak and former Ministers Lim Keng Yaik and Peter Chin Fah Kui from December 1999 to the collapse of the BN administration in May 2018 as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Beaufort from November 1999 to March 2004 and for Kimanis from March 2004 to August 2019 and for Beaufort from November 1999 to March 2004. He is a member of the PCS and was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition before leaving it to be an independent in September 2018 and joining PCS in 2020.[1]

Personal life

Anifah is married to Siti Rubiah Abdul Samad and has 3 sons. He is the younger brother of former Chief Minister of Sabah, Musa Aman.[2] His nephew, Yamani Hafez Musa who is Musa's son; was the MP for Sipitang (2018-2022).

Political career

Anifah was first elected to Parliament in 1999 general election, winning the seat of Beaufort. He was immediately appointed Deputy Minister of Primary Industries in the government of Mahathir Mohamad. He shifted to, and won, the seat of Kimanis in the 2004 general election and became Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities. After winning re-election in the 2008 general election, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi appointed him as Deputy Transport Minister. However, Anifah refused, saying he felt it was "time to make way" for someone else. Reports indicated this was the first time anyone had refused an appointment as Deputy Minister after the appointment had already been made public.[3] A day later, the New Straits Times reported that Anifah and another proposed Deputy Minister, Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar, had "thrown a tantrum ... claiming they are 'senior enough' to be made full ministers". Abdullah reportedly told them that he had "picked the best people", leading to their resignations.[4] After Najib Razak replaced Abdullah as Prime Minister in 2009, Anifah was promoted from the backbench to the Cabinet as Minister for Foreign Affairs.[5] During Anifah's tenure as Foreign Minister, Malaysia won election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2015–2016 term.[6]

Amid retaining his Kimanis seat for the fourth consecutive term in the 2018 general election (GE14) which saw the downfall of BN's federal and state governments, Anifah announced his resignation from UMNO to be an independent MP in September 2018.[1] On 16 August 2019, the Malaysian Election Court however has voided his win in the GE14 after the court found serious discrepancies in the conduct of the election process by the Election Commission (EC).[7] He decided not to contest the 2020 Kimanis by-election called to focus on the subsequent 15th General Election instead.[8]

In March 2020, a new opposition front with Anifah Aman as the president had been planned for the merger of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), Love Sabah Party (PCS), Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) and yet-to-be registered Parti Hak Sabah.[9] However the plan fizzles out after Anifah had joined and was elected as PCS president instead in July 2020.[10] He had become the new PCS president after winning the post uncontested during the party 2nd Biennial General Meeting (BGM) on 26 July 2020.[11] [12]

Special Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sabah on International Relations and Foreign Investments (since 2023)

On 30 January 2023, Chief Minister of Sabah Hajiji Noor appointed Anifah to a newly created position of the Special Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sabah on International Relations and Foreign Investments. Hajiji explained that he was confident of the extensive experience of Anifah in international relations that would assist the state government to forge good ties with foreign countries and investors and the appointment would argur well with the investor-friendly policy of Sabah. In response, Anifah thanked Hajiji for his confidence, gave assurance to do his best in the role, expressed his intention to establish Sabah as an investor-friendly destination, praised Hajiji of being visionary and highlighted the importance of international relations in bringing foreign investments to Sabah.[13] [14]

Senator (since 2023)

On 20 March 2023, Anifah was appointed to the Parliament as a Senator.[15]

Chairman of the Labuan Corporation (since 2023)

On 25 June 2023, Anifah was declared the new Chairman of the Labuan Corporation to replace Bashir Alias. His two-year term began on 19 June 2023 and was set to end on 18 June 2025.[16]

Election results

Year!Constituency! colspan="2"
CandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
1999P154 BeaufortAnifah Aman (UMNO)16,00963.48%bgcolor= Ak Aliuddin Pg (PBS)9,20936.52%25,7076,80064.26%
2004P176 Kimanis (UMNO)9,65567.98%Awang Tengah Awang Amin (PKR)4,54732.02%15,1265,10870.11%
2008 (UMNO)10,24260.78%Jaafar Ismail (IND)4,78928.42%17,3675,45378.09%
Ismail Bongsu (PKR)1,6159.58%
Benjamin Basintal (IND)2051.22%
2013Anifah Aman (UMNO)13,75460.66%Jaafar Ismail (PKR)8,03135.42%23,1705,72387.01%
bgcolor = Jamil William Core (SAPP)6502.87%
bgcolor = Lusin Balangon (STAR)2401.06%
2018 (UMNO)11,94247.71%Karim Bujang (WARISAN)11,78647.09%25,51915686.16%
bgcolor = Jaafar Ismail (PHRS)1,3005.09%
Year!
ConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout
1994N36 KliasAnifah Aman (UMNO)4,47647.36%Lajim Ukin (PBS)4,881 49.09%9,468 405 78.68%
2020N30 Bongawan (PCS)3,59828.16%Daud Yusof (WARISAN)5,40042.26%12,778 1,80276.35%
Ag Lahap Ag Bakar @ Ag Syairin (UMNO)3,54827.76%
Mohd Azree Abd Ghani (LDP)2321.82%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

Foreign honours

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Anifah: I quit Umno in the interest of Sabah rights. The Star. Muguntan Vanar. 19 September 2018 . 15 December 2018.
  2. Web site: Don't read too much into why Anifah declined post, says big brother Musa Aman. The Star. 20 March 2008. 18 May 2018. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman said his younger brother Datuk Anifah Aman had declined the Deputy Minister’s post as he had served in that capacity for two terms..
  3. Web site: Anifah Aman springs surprise, declines deputy minister's post. Bernama. New Straits Times. 18 March 2008. 18 March 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080321210127/http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/20080318235303/Article/index_html. 21 March 2008. dead.
  4. Web site: Two 'seniors' upset over positions. New Straits Times. 19 March 2008. 19 March 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080324112700/http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2190570/Article. 24 March 2008. dead.
  5. Web site: Anifah touched to be given important portfolio. Bernama. The Sun. 11 April 2009. 18 May 2018.
  6. Web site: Malaysia at the UNSC. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. 18 May 2018.
  7. News: Anifah Aman loses Kimanis seat. The Star. Muguntan Vanar. 17 August 2019. 10 September 2019.
  8. News: Anifah confirms won't contest Kimanis by-election but to return in GE15. Malay Mail. 19 December 2019. 19 December 2019.
  9. News: New Sabah opposition grouping is formed . Daily Express. Hayati Dzulkifli and Sherell Ann Jeffrey . 8 March 2020. 8 March 2020.
  10. News: Anifah's planned Sabah opposition front fizzles out . . Muguntan Vanar . 28 July 2020 . 28 July 2020.
  11. News: Anifah new PCS president. . Shalina R On. 26 July 2020. 26 July 2020.
  12. News: Sabah party elects Anifah as president, to get new name. Free Malaysia Today. Durie Rainer Fong. 26 July 2020. 26 July 2020.
  13. Web site: Hajiji appoints Anifah as special advisor on international relations and investments. The Star. 30 January 2023. 31 January 2023.
  14. Web site: Anifah hopes to make Sabah investor friendly in his nee advisory role. The Star. 31 January 2023. 31 January 2023.
  15. Web site: Anifah to be made senator. The Star. 17 March 2023. 4 July 2023.
  16. Web site: Anifah Aman appointed Labuan Corporation chairman. The Star. 25 June 2023. 4 July 2023.
  17. Web site: Sultan of Pahang's 74th birthday honours list. 26 October 2004. 14 September 2018. The Star.
  18. Web site: 1,114 to receive Pahang honours. 24 October 2009. 14 September 2018. The Star.
  19. Web site: 20 honoured with state decorations The BT Archive . 2023-08-27 . btarchive.org.