Darell Leiking

Yang Berhormat Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking PGDK MLA
Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia
In office 2 July 2018 – 24 February 2020
Monarchs	Muhammad V (2018–2019) Abdullah (2019–2020)
Prime Minister	Mahathir Mohamad
Deputy	Ong Kian Ming
Preceded by	Mustapa Mohamed
Succeeded by	Azmin Ali
Constituency	Penampang
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Penampang
In office 5 May 2013 – 19 November 2022
Preceded by	Bernard Giluk Dompok (BN–UPKO)
Succeeded by	Ewon Benedick (PH–UPKO)
Majority	10,216 (2013) 23,473 (2018)
Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Moyog
Incumbent
Assumed office 26 September 2020
Preceded by	Jennifer Lasimbang (WARISAN)
Majority	5,935 (2020)
1st Deputy President of the Heritage Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 October 2016
President	Shafie Apdal
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	(1971-08-23) 23 August 1971 (age 53) Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia
Citizenship	Malaysian
Political party	People's Justice Party (PKR) (2013–2016) Heritage Party (WARISAN) (since 2016)
Other political affiliations	Pakatan Rakyat (PR) (2013–2015) Pakatan Harapan (PH) (2015–2016)
Alma mater	University of Hertfordshire[1]
Occupation	Politician

Datuk Darell Leiking, also known as Ignatius Dorell Leiking (born 23 August 1971) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Moyog since September 2020. He served as the Minister of International Trade and Industry in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from July 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Penampang from May 2013 to November 2022. He is a member of the Heritage Party (WARISAN) and was a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. He has also served as the 1st and founding Deputy President of the WARISAN since party foundation in October 2016.[2][3]

Political career

State rights

Darell is one of many Sabah politicians who fight for the state rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement,[4] and he constantly urges the government to provide a definite solution to the problem of illegal immigrants in the state, especially the problems caused by Project IC with the huge influx of Filipino refugees, and to set to rest the North Borneo dispute once and for all.[5][6] He has rejected controversial remarks made towards other minority groups by a prominent minister in the cabinet, which was echoed by Baru Bian of the People's Justice Party (PKR).[7] He has also spoken out against discrimination towards other ethnic groups by certain politicians.[8]

Minister of International Trade and Industry (2018–2020)

The 2018 general election saw the first ever transition of power in the Malaysian history. Then PH opposition coalition was elected as the government after defeating the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. PH then formed the coalition government with WARISAN. On 2 July 2018, Darell was appointed as Minister of International Trade and Industry. On 24 February 2020, Darell lost his position after the PH government collapsed due to its loss of majority support in the Parliament.

Member of Parliament (2013–2022)

2013 general election

In the 2013 general election, Darell made his electoral debut after being nominated by PR to contest for the Penampang federal seat. He won the seat and was elected to the Parliament as the Penampang MP for the first term after defeating Bernard Giluk Dompok of BN and Melania Annol of the Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak of Sabah (Sabah STAR) by a majority of 10,216 votes.[9]

2018 general election

In the 2018 general election, Darell was nominated by WARISAN to defend the Penampang seat.[10][11] He defended the seat and was reelected as the Penampang MP for the second term after defeating his cousin Ceasar Mandela Malakun of BN, Cleftus Stephen Spine of the Homeland Solidarity Party (STAR) and Edwin Bosi of the Sabah Native Cooperation Party (PKAN) by a majority of 23,473 votes.[12][13][14]

2022 general election

In the 2022 general election, Darell was renominated by WARISAN to defend the Penampang seat. He lost the seat and was not reelected as the Penampang MP for the third term after losing to Ewon Benedick of PH by a minority of 14,410 votes.

Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (since 2020)

In the 2020 Sabah state election, Darell was renominated by WARISAN to contest for the Moyog state seat. He won the seat and was elected into the Sabah State Legislative Assembly as the Moyog MLA for the first term after defeating Joseph Suleiman of STAR, John Chryso Masabal of the United Sabah Party (PBS), William Sampil of the Love Sabah Party (PCS), Marcel Annol of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Vinson Loijon of the Sabah People's Unity Party (PPRS) and independent candidate Robert Richard Foo by a majority of 5,935 votes.

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[15][16]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
2013	P174 Penampang		Darell Leiking (PKR)	22,598	62.60%		Bernard Giluk Dompok (UPKO)	12,382	34.30%	36,818	10,216	83.21%
							Melania Annol (STAR)	1,119	3.10%
2018			Darell Leiking (WARISAN)	32,470	75.32%^2		Ceasar Mandela Malakun (UPKO)	8,997	20.87%^2	43,525	23,473	82.17%
							Cleftus Stephen Spine (STAR)	1,196	2.77%
							Edwin Bosi (PKAN)	445	1.03%
2022			Darell Leiking (WARISAN)	14,656	28.89%		Ewon Benedick (UPKO)	29,066	57.30%	50,730	14,410	65.70%
							Kenny Chua Teck Ho (STAR)	6,719	13.24%
							Richard Jimmy (IND)	289	0.57%
Notes: Table excludes votes for candidates who finished in third place or lower. ^2 Different % used for 2018 election.

Sabah State Legislative Assembly[17]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
2020	N26 Moyog		Darell Leiking (WARISAN)	8,437	62.83%		Joseph Suleiman (STAR)	2,502	18.64%	13,427	5,935	68.98%
							John Chryso Masabal (PBS)	1,175	8.75%
							William Sampil (PCS)	975	7.26%
							Marcel Annol (LDP)	185	1.38%
							Vinson Loijon (PPRS)	82	0.61%
							Robert Richard Foo (IND)	71	0.53%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

•  Sabah :
  • Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (2018)[18]

Foreign honours

•  South Korea :
  • Gwanghwa Medal of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (2020)[19]

References

1. "Change of gov't boon for Darell Leiking". Bernama. Malaysiakini. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
2. "Maklumat Ahli Parlimen" (in Malay). Parliament of Malaysia. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
3. "New Cabinet all sworn-in before King (Full List)". The Star. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
4. Zam Yusa (11 February 2018). "Stop acting like you're the opposition, Leiking tells state govt". Free Malaysia Today. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
5. Admin (30 November 2016). "Delays to Long-awaited Answers on Illegal Immigrants Uncalled For". Borneo Today. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
6. "Call to solve Manila's claim on Sabah once and for all". The Borneo Post. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
7. "'You Have Insulted all Christians', Darell Leiking ticks off FT Minister". Borneo Today. 4 February 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
8. "Hapuskan Politik Perkauman; Bukankah Suluk Suku Kaum Sabah?" (in Malay). Borneo Today. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
9. "Dompok falls to PKR's Darrel in Penampang". The Borneo Post. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
10. "Penampang MP Darell Leiking quits PKR". Free Malaysia Today. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
11. Muna Khalid (6 April 2018). "Composition of the Dewan Rakyat at dissolution". Bernama. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
12. Natasha Joibi (28 April 2018). "Cousins Mandela and Leiking vie for Penampang seat". The Star. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
13. Shalina R (29 April 2018). "Cousins Darell, Mandela face off for Penampang seat". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
14. Nandini Balakrishnan (10 May 2018). "Historic Win: The Complete Result Of GE14's Parliamentary Seats Across Malaysia". Says.com. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
15. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 22 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for candidates not listed).
16. "Sabah [Parliament Results]". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
17. "N53 Senallang". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
18. "Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak head list of 1,158 Sabah award recipients". Bernama. Borneo Post. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
19. "Congratulations Datuk Darell Leiking awarded The Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Gwanghwa Medal from the President of South Korea". Hannah Yeoh. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2021 – via Facebook.

External links

• Darell Leiking on Facebook