KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who passed away at the age of 66 yesterday, was a fierce Parliamentarian who spoke his mind without fear.
His blunt – sometimes crude – remarks often landed him in controversy throughout his 25-year political career.
But he never apologised for what he said, insisting he stood by every word.
A six-term Kinabatangan MP and Lamag assemblyman, Bung Moktar cultivated a following for his bold statements and memorable gaffes, including a four-letter outburst in Parliament.
Yet friends say the man behind the microphone was easygoing and laid-back, far from his public persona.
Born in Kg Bilit in Sabah’s Sukau area of Kinabatangan, he first became MP for the constituency in 1999.
Sitting as a Barisan Nasional backbencher, he tormented his opponents in Parliament, stirring controversies while making personal jabs against lawmakers in the opposition bench.
Fiercely loyal to Umno, he spent most of his career on the national stage, though he was often viewed as sidelined in state politics.
That changed after Sabah Barisan-Umno fell in the 2018 general election and senior state leaders deserted the party.
Bung Moktar became the last man standing in the once all-powerful party, eventually taking over its leadership.
He was credited with pulling Sabah Umno back from collapse, rebuilding its ranks and leading the coalition to victory in the 2020 Kimanis by-election.
Amid this rebuilding, Bung Moktar and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, were charged with corruption.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar claimed trial to three charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.8mil to obtain approval for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150mil in Public Mutual unit trusts. He was then Felcra’s non-executive chairman. Although the case was initially thrown out, the appeal is ongoing in Kuala Lumpur.
In the 2020 snap election, he led Sabah Barisan into an alliance with Sabah Bersatu under Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, toppling the Warisan-led government of Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and returning Umno to state power.
The former Deputy Chief Minister later fell out with Hajiji after the 2022 general election and withdrew Barisan from the state coalition in 2023.
Since then, Bung Moktar made it his mission to overturn the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government and went all out in his election campaign despite being ill with a lung infection.
He retained his Lamag seat by a 153-vote margin six days ago, but Sabah Barisan failed to dislodge the Hajiji administration.
Ironically, Barisan then joined a “unity government” led by GRS even as Bung Moktar’s health deteriorated due to kidney failure.
In an informal chat with reporters recently, he said the election would be his last. The words proved prophetic. He died on Friday without being able to celebrate his win.
The Kinabatangan MP leaves behind two wives, Datin Seri Nor Asidah Alimuddin and Zizie Izette and nine children.
His remains were taken to his Luyang home and funeral prayers were held at the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque. He was laid to rest at the Kampung Likas Muslim Cemetery here after Friday prayers.
