Yang Berhormat Tuan
Gobind Singh Deo
MP
ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਓ
Minister of Digital
Assumed office
12 December 2023
MonarchsAbdullah
(2023–2024)
Ibrahim Iskandar
(since 2024)
Prime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim
DeputyWilson Ugak Kumbong
Preceded byFahmi Fadzil
(Minister of Communications and Digital)
ConstituencyDamansara
Minister of Communications and Multimedia
In office
21 May 2018 – 24 February 2020
MonarchsMuhammad V
(2018–2019)
Abdullah
(2019–2020)
Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad
DeputyEddin Syazlee Shith
Preceded bySalleh Said Keruak
Succeeded bySaifuddin Abdullah
ConstituencyPuchong
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Damansara
Assumed office
19 November 2022
Preceded byTony Pua Kiam Wee
(PH–DAP)
Majority124,619 (2022)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Puchong
In office
8 March 2008 – 19 November 2022
Preceded byLau Yeng Peng
(BN–GERAKAN)
Succeeded byYeo Bee Yin
(PH–DAP)
Majority19,972 (2008)
32,802 (2013)
47,635 (2018)
Personal details
Born
Gobind Singh Deo s/o Karpal Singh

(1973-06-19) 19 June 1973 (age 50)
Penang, Malaysia
CitizenshipMalaysian
Political partyDemocratic Action Party (DAP)
Other political
affiliations		Pakatan Rakyat (PR)
(2008–2015)
Pakatan Harapan (PH)
(since 2015)
SpouseSangeeta Kaur Sidhu
RelationsJagdeep Singh Deo (brother)
Ramkarpal Singh (brother)
ChildrenJaydn Jhan Karpal Singh Deo

Kheeshan Karpal Singh Deo Kayden Karpal Singh Deo

Neshaan Karpal Singh Deo
Parent(s)Karpal Singh
Gurmit Kaur
Alma materUniversity of Warwick (LLB)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer
Websitegobindsinghdeo.com

Gobind Singh Deo s/o Karpal Singh (Punjabi: ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਓ, romanized: Gobind Siṅgh Dio; born 19 June 1973) is a Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Digital in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2023 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Damansara since November 2022. He served as the Minister of Communications and Multimedia in the PH administration under former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020 and the MP for Puchong from March 2008 to November 2022. He is a member and National Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of the PH and formerly Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalitions. Known as the "Little Lion of Puchong",[1] he is the son of the late DAP leader Karpal Singh, who was known as the "Tiger of Jelutong". His brothers Ramkarpal Singh and Jagdeep Singh Deo are also DAP leaders. He also created history by becoming the first ever Sikh Cabinet minister in the Malaysian history.[2]

Early life, education and early career

Gobind Singh was born on 19 June 1973 in Penang, Malaysia.

He received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from University of Warwick.

He by profession is a law practitioner and founded his law firm Gobind Singh Deo & Co.[3] based in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. The firm is operated together with his members lawyers. He was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 1996, a year after returning from Lincoln's Inn.

Political career

Member of Parliament (since 2008)

Gobind Singh signing Plaque for Trader Malaysia.

In the 2008 general election, Gobind Singh made his electoral debut after being nominated by PR to contest for the Puchong federal seat. He won the seat and was elected to the Parliament as the Puchong MP for the first term after defeating Lau Yeng Peng of Barisan Nasional (BN) by a majority of 19,972 votes amid a significant swing and switch of support to the opposition in Selangor.

In the 2013 general election, Gobind Singh was renominated by PR to defend the Puchong seat. He defended the seat and was reelected to the Parliament as the Puchong MLA for the second term after defeating A. Kohillan Pillay of BN y a majority of 32,802 votes.

In the 2018 general election, Gobind Singh was nominated by PH to defend the Puchong seat. He defended the seat and was reelected to the Parliament as the Puchong MLA for the third term after defeating Ang Chin Tat of BN and Mohamad Rosharizan Mohd Rozlan of Gagasan Sejahtera (GS) by a majority of 47,635 votes.

In the 2022 general election, Gobind Singh was renominated by PH to contest for the Damansara federal seat instead of defending the Puchong seat. He won the seat and was reelected to Parliament as the Damansara MP for the first term after defeating Lim Si Ching of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Tan Gim Tuan of BN by a majority of 124,619 votes.

Gobind Singh standing and smiling at guests at the 2023 Selangor state election Dusun Tua DAP fundraising dinner in Kajang, Selangor on 3 June 2023.

Minister of Communications and Multimedia (2018–2020)

Main articles: Seventh Mahathir cabinet and Second premiership of Mahathir Mohamad

After PH defeated BN in the 2018 general election and resulted in the first ever transition of power in the Malaysian history, Gobind Singh was appointed as the Minister of Communication and Multimedia on 21 May 2018.[4][5][6][7] He said The Anti-Fake News Act officially gazetted in April will be repealed. Gobind Singh also stated that the proposal to repeal the act would be presented to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for swift action.[8]

He lost the position following the collapse of the PH administration in the 2020 political crisis.

National Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Action Party

At the 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress on 20 March 2022, Gobind Singh was reelected to the Central Executive Committee of DAP by 1,782 votes. He is also the candidate with the highest number of votes.[9] He was then reappointed the National Deputy Chairman.[10]

Minister of Digital (since 2023)

In a cabinet reshuffle on 12 December 2023, Gobind Singh was brought back to the Cabinet after he was appointed as the Minister of Digital, a new ministry formed as a result of a split from the Ministry of Communications and Digital that was led by Minister Fahmi Fadzil. Upon learning the appointment, his brother Ramkarpal resigned from the government as the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Laws and Institutional Reforms to avoid criticisms of nepotism in the case both of them serve in the same government. Gobind also took over the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) from the Prime Minister's Department. Fahmi added that Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), MYNIC Bhd and the Department of Personal Data Protection would also be under Gobind. Gobind highlighted the need to clarify and fine-tune certain aspects in terms of job scopes that fall under his ministry.

Controversies and issues

In 2009 he was suspended from Parliament for 12 months for calling the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, a "murderer" in a parliamentary debate and insulting the deputy speaker. He later won a legal challenge seeking to be paid his normal remuneration for his period of suspension.[11]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
2008 P103 Puchong Gobind Singh Deo (DAP) 35,079 59.14% Lau Yeng Peng (Gerakan) 15,107 25.47% 59,317 19,972 78.44%
2013 Gobind Singh Deo (DAP) 62,938 66.69% A. Kohilan Pillay (Gerakan) 30,136 31.93% 94,367 32,802 88.19%
2018 Gobind Singh Deo (DAP) 60,429 72.66% Ang Chin Tat (Gerakan) 12,794 13.27% 96,437 47,635 87.47%
Mohamad Rosharizan Mohd Rozlan (PAS) 10,255 10.63%
2022 P106 Damansara Gobind Singh Deo (DAP) 142,875 81.67% Lim Si Ching (GERAKAN) 18,256 10.44% 176,625 124,619 73.9%
Tan Gim Tuan (MCA) 13,806 7.89%

See also

References

  1. ^ ""There's no democracy in Parliament" - The Nut Graph". www.thenutgraph.com. 11 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Gobind: Malaysia's 1st Sikh minister". NST Online. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Gobind Singh Deo & Co., Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia Legal Directory". www.rcakl.org.my. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister". Hindustan Times. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Indian-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  7. ^ Maria Thomas (22 May 2018). "Malaysia has appointed its first Sikh minister: the "little lion of Puchong"". Quartz India.
  8. ^ "Anti-Fake News Act will be repealed, says Gobind". New Straits Times. 22 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Gobind receives highest votes in DAP polls". The Star. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Anthony Loke is new DAP secretary-general; Lim Guan Eng made chairman". The Edge Markets. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Federal Court orders Parliament to pay Gobind's salary". The Malaysian Insider. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  12. ^ "Malaysia Decides 2008". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 11 January 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2010. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  13. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 26 May 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  14. ^ "Malaysia General Election". undiinfo Malaysian Election Data. Malaysiakini. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Results only available from the 2004 election.
  15. ^ "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 24 March 2017.Results only available for the 2013 election.
  16. ^ "my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy)". www.myundi.com.my. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13". Utusan Malaysia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  18. ^ "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14" (in Malay). Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 17 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.
  19. ^ "The Star Online GE14". The Star. Retrieved 24 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout.

External links

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