Yang Berhormat Dato' Sri
Richard Riot Jaem
PJN PNBS SSAP KMN MP
Special Envoy of the Prime Minister to East Asia
Assumed office
15 May 2020
MonarchsAbdullah
(2020–2024)
Ibrahim Iskandar
(since 2024)
Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin
(2020–2021)
Ismail Sabri Yaakob
(2021–2022)
Anwar Ibrahim
(since 2022)
Preceded byTiong King Sing
ConstituencySerian
Minister of Human Resources
In office
16 May 2013 – 10 May 2018
MonarchsAbdul Halim
(2013–2016)
Muhammad V
(2016–2018)
Prime MinisterNajib Razak
DeputyIsmail Muttalib
Preceded bySubramaniam Sathasivam
Succeeded byMurugesan Kulasegaran
ConstituencySerian
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
4 June 2010 – 15 May 2013
Serving with A. Kohillan Pillay
MonarchsMizan Zainal Abidin
(2010–2011)
Abdul Halim
(2011–2013)
Prime MinisterNajib Razak
MinisterAnifah Aman
Preceded byLee Chee Leong
Succeeded byHamzah Zainuddin
ConstituencySerian
Member of the Malaysian Parliament
for Serian
Assumed office
21 October 1990
Preceded byLainus Andrew Luwak
(Independent)
Majority2,685 (1990)
7,554 (1995)
8,451 (1999)
9,695 (2004)
13,427 (2008)
13,151 (2013)
9,905 (2018)
16,697 (2022)
Deputy President of the
Sarawak United Peoples' Party
Assumed office
12 December 2011
PresidentPeter Chin Fah Kui
(2011–2014)
Sim Kui Hian
(since 2014)
Preceded byLaw Hieng Ding
Personal details
Born
Richard Riot anak Jaem

(1951-12-01) 1 December 1951 (age 72)
Serian, Crown Colony of Sarawak (now Sarawak, Malaysia)
CitizenshipMalaysian
Nationality Malaysia
Political partySarawak United People's Party (SUPP)
Other political
affiliations		Barisan Nasional (BN)
(–2018)
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)
(since 2018)
SpouseMincha @ Kayen Lingeng
OccupationPolitician

Dato' Sri Richard Riot anak Jaem (born 1 December 1951) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Special Envoy of the Prime Ministers Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Anwar Ibrahim to East Asia since May 2020 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Serian since October 1990.[1] He served as Minister of Human Resources and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak and former Minister Anifah Aman from June 2010 to May 2018. [2] [3] He is a member of the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), a component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. He has also served Deputy President of SUPP since December 2011 and Chairman of the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB). He is also presently one of the longest-serving MPs.

Political career

Party posts

During SUPP's triennial assembly in 2011, Riot was elected as the party's first non-Chinese deputy president.[4]

Parliamentary career

Riot first contested and won the Serian parliamentary seat in 1990 as an independent candidate. He was later re-elected for six consecutive terms beginning in 1995, all on a National Front (BN) ticket.[5]

Ministerial career

After serving for more than 20 years as a government backbencher, Riot was appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in a minor cabinet reshuffle on 1 June 2010.[6]

In 2013 he was promoted to a full ministerial position as Minister for Human Resources.[7]

Controversy

After the 12th Malaysian general election in March 2008, there was speculation that Riot would defect to the opposition People's Justice Party (PKR); however, Riot denied the speculation and the move did not materialised.[8][9]

In September 2017, Riot was engulfed in a corruption allegation after RM40 million was found to be missing from the Skills Development Fund Corporation (SDFC) under the Ministry of Human Resources which he helmed as its minister.[10] Among those arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) included his political secretary. Riot himself was called in by the MACC and questioned for 10 hours.[11]

Following the historic 14th Malaysian general election in May 2018 which saw the fall of the BN coalition from power, rumours swirled around with speculation that Riot was looking to, yet again, join the PKR, which was now a component party of the ruling Alliance of Hope (PH) coalition.[12] This was denied by PKR Sarawak state liaison committee chairperson Baru Bian. Moreover, PH Sarawak chairperson, Chong Chieng Jen, advised his allied parties against accepting Riot in a statement declaring that his own, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), will not.[13][14]

Less than a year later in February 2019, Riot was again surrounded by speculation that he may jump ship, this time to the United Sarawak Party (PSB) which is a splinter party of the SUPP.[15]

On 29 February during the 2020 Malaysian political crisis, Riot was reported to have left SUPP to join PKR again.[16] Somehow the inaccurate rumour was quickly quashed after a video clip of him denying the claims went viral the next day.[17]

Election results

Parliament of Malaysia[5]
Year Constituency Candidate Votes Pct Opponent(s) Votes Pct Ballots cast Majority Turnout
1990 P160 Serian, Sarawak Richard Riot Jaem (IND) 10,349 57.45% William Aham 7,664 42.55% 18,516 2,685 66.93%
1995 P172 Serian, Sarawak Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 12,116 60.26% Marcellus Munjan (IND) 4,562 22.69% 20,690 7,554 65.40%
Michael Runin (PBS) 1,753 8.72%
Andrew Nyabe (IND) 959 4.77%
Betram Sading Jihok (IND) 716 3.56%
1999 P173 Serian, Sarawak Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 12,491 71.77% Anthony Polycarp Munjan (STAR) 4,040 23.21% 17,974 8,451 59.76%
Shamsuddin Abdullah @ Pok Ungkut (IND) 872 5.01%
2004 P199 Serian, Sarawak Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 13,960 76.60% Henry Ginai Langgie (IND) 4,265 23.40% 18,686 9,695 59.13%
2008 Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 15,793 86.97% Belayong Jayang (SNAP) 2,366 13.03% 18,516 13,427 66.36%
2013 Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 19,494 74.33% Edward Andrew Luak (DAP) 6,343 24.19% 26,562 13,151 78.79%
Johnny Bob Aput (STAR) 390 1.49%
2018 Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 17,545 63.99% Edward Andrew Luak (DAP) 7,640 27.86% 27,880 9,905 74.09%
Senior William Rade (IND) 2,234 8.15%
2022 Richard Riot Jaem (SUPP) 22,876 57.23% Alim Impira (IND) 6,179 15.46% 40,620 16,697 61.24%
Elsiy Tinggang (PSB) 5,630 14.08%
Learry Jabul (DAP) 5,289 13.23%

Honours

See also

References

  1. ^ "Riot receives appointment letter as special envoy". Borneo Post. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  2. ^ "DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Malaysia). Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  3. ^ Wong, Jack (4 November 2004). "Cut fares, boatmen warned". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Peter Chin elected SUPP chief". New Straits Times. 12 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2010. Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for other candidates not listed).
  6. ^ "Appointment A Gawai Gift, says Riot". Bernama. 2 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Richard Riot Promoted To Full Minister". Bernama. 16 May 2013.
  8. ^ "I'm not crossing over, says Serian MP". The Star (Malaysia). 23 March 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  9. ^ Aznam, Suhaini (18 May 2008). "Hoping for a better future". The Star (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  10. ^ Chia, Jonathan (28 September 2017). "Those arrested in MACC investigation innocent until proven guilty – Riot". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  11. ^ Nik, Mazwin (30 September 2017). "Richard Riot questioned for 10 hours". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  12. ^ Tawie, Sulok (15 May 2018). "Sarawak PKR chief: Riot hasn't joined party". Malay Mail. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  13. ^ Ogilvy, Geryl (16 May 2018). "Sarawak Pakatan says 'no' to Riot joining them". The Star (Malaysia). Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Riot not welcomed in PH – Chong". The Borneo Post. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Indications suggest Riot may be joining PSB". The Borneo Post. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Serian MP Riot joins PKR". Borneo Post. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Richard Riot denies joining PKR, video goes viral". Bernama. New Straits Times. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  18. ^ "The Yang di-Pertuan Agong's 62nd birthday honours list". The Star. 5 June 2005. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  19. ^ "Artistes among those conferred titles in conjunction with Pahang Sultan's birthday". The Star. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Former TYT leads Head of State's honours list". Borneo Post. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
Political offices Preceded bySubramaniam Sathasivam Minister of Human Resources (Malaysia) 2013–2018 Succeeded byMurugesan Kulasegaran Preceded byLee Chee Leong Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Malaysia) 2010–2013 Succeeded byHamzah Zainuddin Parliament of Malaysia Preceded byLainus Andrew Luwak Member of Parliament for Serian 1990–present Incumbent Party political offices Preceded byLaw Hieng Ding Deputy President of Sarawak United Peoples' Party 2011–present Incumbent
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