Joseph Kurup dies, aged 80

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) founding president Joseph Kurup has died, aged 80.

The veteran politician passed away at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur, the New Straits Times reported.

He leaves behind wife Melinda Mak Soak Fong and six children, including Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup.

Joseph was a founding member and the first president of PBRS, which was a BN component party between 1994 and 2023. He stepped down from the position in January this year, after which the party’s leadership was taken over by his son Arthur.

Joseph’s political career began when he won the Sook state seat in the Sabah state election in 1985, as a member of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

He also served as the Pensiangan MP from 2008 to 2018.

In addition, Joseph has also served various roles at the state and federal levels.

He served as Sabah deputy chief minister, state agriculture and fisheries minister, state communications and works minister, and state finance minister, among others.

At the federal level, Joseph held the positions of minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, deputy energy and natural resources minister, as well as deputy rural and regional development minister.

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