Joseph Salang Gandum

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum PGBK DSPN AMN
Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture
In office 27 March 2008 – 15 May 2013 Serving with Heng Seai Kie (2008–2010), Maglin Dennis D'Cruz (2010–2013) & Tan Lian Hoe (2008–2009)
Monarchs	Mizan Zainal Abidin (2008–2011) Abdul Halim (2011–2013)
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Najib Razak
Minister	Ahmad Shabery Cheek Rais Yatim
Preceded by	Himself (Communication) Tan Lian Hoe (Information) Teng Boon Soon (Culture)
Succeeded by	Jailani Johari (Communication) Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Culture)
Constituency	Julau
Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications
In office 19 March – 27 March 2008
Monarch	Mizan Zainal Abidin
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Minister	Shaziman Abu Mansor
Preceded by	Shaziman Abu Mansor
Succeeded by	Himself (Communications) Noriah Kasnon (Energy, Water)
Constituency	Julau
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 27 March 2004 – 19 March 2008
Monarchs	Sirajuddin (2004–2006) Mizan Zainal Abidin (2006–2008)
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Minister	Syed Hamid Albar
Preceded by	Leo Michael Toyad
Succeeded by	Abdul Rahim Bakri
Constituency	Julau
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Julau
In office 29 November 1999 – 9 May 2018
Preceded by	Sng Chee Hua (BN–PBDS)
Succeeded by	Larry Sng Wei Shien (Independent)
Majority	6,286 (1999) 2,688 (2004) 7,584 (2008) 5,955 (2013)
2nd President of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak
Incumbent
Assumed office 31 October 2021 Acting: 31 October 2021–26 April 2022
Deputy	Majang Renggi
Preceded by	James Jemut Masing
Deputy President of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak
In office 20 October 2018 – 31 October 2021
President	James Jemut Masing (2018–2021) Himself (Acting, 2021–2022)
Preceded by	Joseph Entulu Belaun
Succeeded by	Majang Renggi
Secretary-General of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak
In office 25 October 2016 – 20 October 2018
President	James Jemut Masing
Succeeded by	Janang Bungsu
Personal details
Born	(1950-01-01) 1 January 1950 (age 74)[1] Crown Colony of Sarawak (now Sarawak, Malaysia)
Political party	Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS)
Other political affiliations	Barisan Nasional (BN) (1999–2018, aligned; since 2020) Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) (since 2018) Perikatan Nasional (PN) (aligned; 2020–2022)
Spouse	Lucy Hon
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Bank officer (retired)

Joseph Salang Gandum (born 1 January 1951) is a Malaysian politician and former bank officer who served as the Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture, Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib Razak and former Ministers Rais Yatim, Shaziman Abu Mansor, Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Syed Hamid Albar from March 2004 to May 2013 as well as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Julau from November 1999 to May 2018. He is a member of the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), a component party of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and formerly BN coalitions and was a member of the Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), also a component party of the BN coalition. He has served as the 2nd President of PRS since October 2021, when he has served in official capacity since April 2022 and in acting capacity from October 2021 to April 2022. He also served as the Deputy President of PRS from October 2018 to his official promotion to the party presidency in October 2021 and Secretary-General of PRS from October 2016 to his promotion to party deputy presidency in October 2018. In addition, he was also previously one of the vice-presidents of PRS, prior to being made party secretary-general.[2]

Salang was a bank officer before entering politics. He was elected to Parliament in the 1999 election.[3] He was originally a member (and deputy president) of the Sarawak Native People's Party (PBDS),[4] but sat in Parliament without a party after the PBDS was deregistered in 2004. He eventually joined the PRS ahead of the 2008 election.[3]

Salang has served in a number of government posts, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,[3] Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications,[5] and Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture.[6] He turned down reappointment to the deputy ministry after the 2013 election.[7]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[8]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1999	P182 Julau		Joseph Salang Gandum (PBDS)	9,183	66.99%		Kong Ah Huat (IND)	2,897	21.14%	13,707	6,286	75.55%
							Samuel Edward Chun (IND)	844	6.16%
							Patrick Mit @ Dumit Tutong (IND)	483	3.52%
2004	P208 Julau		Joseph Salang Gandum (PBDS)	8,388	58.78%		Randan Mawat (IND)	5,700	39.94%	14,271	2,688	72.20%
2008	P209 Julau		Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS)	10,351	77.75%		Labang Jamba (PKR)	2,767	20.78%	13,313	7,584	65.56%
2013			Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS)	9,891	58.27%		Wong Judat (SWP)	3,936	23.19%	16,973	5,955	75.36%
							Wong Hong Yu (PKR)	2,852	16.80%
2018			Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS)	8,174	44.02%		Larry Sng Wei Shien (IND)	10,105	54.42%	18,569	1,931	73.16%
2022			Joseph Salang Gandum (PRS)	7,819	34.69%		Larry Sng Wei Shien (PBM)	9,159	40.64%	22,537	1,340	64.67%
							Elly Lawai Ngalai (IND)	5,224	23.18%
							Susan George (PBDS)	335	1.49%

Honours

•  Malaysia :
  • Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (2000)
•  Penang :
  • Officer of the Order of the Defender of State (DSPN) – Dato' (2003)[9]
•  Sarawak :
  • Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (PGBK) – Datuk (2011)

References

1. "SENARAI PENERIMA DARJAH-DARJAH KEBESARAN, BINTANG DAN PINGAT-PINGAT KEHORMATAN NEGERI PULAU PINANG 2003" (PDF) (in Malay). Warta Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang.
2. "Joseph Salang Anak Gandum, Y.B. Dato'" (in Malay). Parliament of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
3. Suhaini Aznam (2 March 2008). "The partyless incumbent". The Star. Star Publications (Malaysia). Retrieved 19 April 2010.
4. "Sarawakians see PM's sincerity: Taib". Daily Express (Malaysia). 22 March 2004. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
5. "PRS MPs pledge support to Abdullah". The Star. Star Publications (Malaysia). 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
6. "Najib Announces 28-member Cabinet". Bernama. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
7. "Joseph Salang Gandum rejects appointment". The Star. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
8. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for third party and independent candidates not listed).
9. "13 conferred state awards". The Star. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2018.