Anifah Aman

2.1. Birth and Family

Anifah bin Aman was born on 16 November 1953. He is married to Siti Rubiah Abdul Samad and they have three sons. He is the younger half-brother of Musa Aman, who served as the former Chief Minister of Sabah. His nephew, Yamani Hafez Musa, Musa's son, was previously the Member of Parliament for Sipitang from 2018 to 2022.

2.2. Education

Anifah Aman pursued higher education in the United Kingdom. He is a graduate of Buckingham University (formerly University College Buckingham), where he earned a Master's degree in economic philosophy and law.

3.1. Early parliamentary career

Anifah Aman first entered federal politics in the 1999 Malaysian general election, where he successfully contested and won the Beaufort parliamentary seat. Following his election, he was immediately appointed as the Deputy Minister of Primary Industries in the government led by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

In the 2004 Malaysian general election, he shifted constituencies and was elected as the Member of Parliament for Kimanis. His portfolio changed, and he was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities. After securing re-election in the 2008 Malaysian general election, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi offered him the position of Deputy Transport Minister. However, Anifah notably declined this appointment, stating that he felt it was "time to make way" for someone else. This refusal marked a rare instance where a proposed Deputy Minister publicly declined an appointment after it had been announced. Reports at the time indicated that Anifah, along with another proposed Deputy Minister, Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar, expressed that they were "senior enough" to be appointed as full ministers, leading to their resignations from the proposed posts.

3.2. Minister of Foreign Affairs

In 2009, when Najib Razak succeeded Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister, Anifah Aman was promoted from a backbencher to the Cabinet as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. He served in this capacity until the collapse of the Barisan Nasional administration in May 2018. During his tenure as Foreign Minister, Malaysia achieved a significant diplomatic success by winning election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2015-2016 term. He engaged in various diplomatic meetings, including a meeting with Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary, in London on 9 December 2014.

3.3. Party affiliations and transitions

Anifah Aman was a long-standing member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a major component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Within UMNO, he held several key positions, including Treasurer of the Beaufort UMNO Division starting in 1994, Vice Chief of the Beaufort UMNO Division from 2001 to 2003, and later Chief of the Kimanis UMNO Division.

Following the 2018 Malaysian general election, which saw the downfall of the BN federal and state governments, Anifah announced his resignation from UMNO in September 2018. He stated that his decision was made "in the interest of Sabah rights," transitioning to serve as an independent Member of Parliament.

In March 2020, there were plans for a new Sabah opposition front, with Anifah Aman slated to be its president. This proposed front aimed to merge several parties, including Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS), Love Sabah Party (PCS), Sabah Native Co-operation Party (Anak Negeri), and the then-unregistered Parti Hak Sabah. However, this plan did not materialize as Anifah subsequently joined the Love Sabah Party (PCS) and was elected as its president in July 2020. He secured the presidency uncontested during the party's 2nd Biennial General Meeting on 26 July 2020.

3.4. Recent appointments

Anifah Aman has continued to hold significant appointments in recent years.

In January 2023, he was appointed by Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to a newly created position as the Special Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sabah on International Relations and Foreign Investments. This appointment, made on 30 January 2023, was based on Chief Minister Hajiji's confidence in Anifah's extensive experience in international relations, which was expected to help the state government foster strong ties with foreign countries and attract investors, aligning with Sabah's investor-friendly policies. Anifah expressed gratitude for the confidence placed in him and vowed to exert his best efforts to establish Sabah as an investor-friendly destination, praising Hajiji's vision and emphasizing the importance of international relations in attracting foreign investments.

On 20 March 2023, Anifah was appointed as a Senator to the Parliament of Malaysia. Furthermore, on 25 June 2023, he was declared the new Chairman of the Labuan Corporation, succeeding Bashir Alias. His two-year term in this role began on 19 June 2023 and is set to conclude on 18 June 2025.

3.5. Key political events and controversies

Anifah Aman's political career has included several notable events and controversies.

In 2008, he stirred public attention by refusing the appointment as Deputy Transport Minister by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, despite having served two terms as a Deputy Minister prior to the 2008 general election. He indicated a desire for a full ministerial position, believing he was senior enough for such a role.

A significant controversy arose on 16 May 2009, during a joint press conference with then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington, D.C.. Anifah Aman publicly claimed that Anwar Ibrahim had offered him the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia if he were to defect from UMNO to the PKR. Anwar Ibrahim swiftly denied these allegations through his lawyer, S. N. Nair, demanding a retraction of the statement and a public apology within 24 hours. When Anifah did not retract, Anwar filed a defamation lawsuit on 27 May 2009, at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The suit sought 100.00 M MYR in compensatory damages, along with severe and exemplary damages, and an injunction to restrain Anifah from making or publishing further defamatory statements. Anifah Aman was named as the first defendant, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (in his official capacity) as the second defendant, and the Malaysian government as the third defendant in the lawsuit.

In another major event, on 16 August 2019, the Malaysian Election Court voided Anifah's victory for the Kimanis parliamentary seat in the 2018 Malaysian general election. The court found "serious discrepancies in the conduct of the election process by the Election Commission (EC)." This decision was upheld by the Federal Court on 2 December 2019, necessitating a by-election for the Kimanis seat. Anifah subsequently decided not to contest the 2020 Kimanis by-election, instead announcing his intention to focus on the subsequent 15th General Election.

His resignation from UMNO in September 2018, citing the "interest of Sabah rights" following the Barisan Nasional's loss in the 2018 general election, was a key moment demonstrating his evolving political priorities.

4.1. Federal Parliament elections

Anifah Aman contested several federal parliamentary elections, winning seats in both the Beaufort and Kimanis constituencies.

4.2. State Legislative Assembly elections

Anifah Aman also participated in elections for the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.

5.1. Malaysian honours

• Malaysia:
  • Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) - conferred with the title Tan Sri (2023).
  • Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal.
• Pahang:
  • Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) - conferred with the title Dato' (2004).
  • Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) - conferred with the title Dato' Sri (2009).
• Sabah:
  • Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) - conferred with the title Datuk (1998).
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) - conferred with the title Datuk Seri Panglima (2011).

5.2. Foreign honours

• Brunei:
  • First Class of the Order of the Crown of Brunei (SPMB) - conferred with the title Dato Seri Paduka (14 August 2014).