Gobind Singh Deo

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. 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

In the 2008 general election, Gobind Singh made his electoral debut after being nominated by PR to contest 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 by 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.

At the 2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress held on 20 March 2022, Gobind Singh was reelected to the Central Executive Committee of DAP with the highest number of votes, 1,782 and subsequently appointed as the party's Deputy National Chairman.

In the 2022 general election, Gobind Singh was nominated 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, the largest majority in Malaysian history.

At the 2024 Selangor Democratic Action Party election, Gobind suffered a surprise defeat and failed to enter the state party's executive committee, losing out on the state party's chairmanship. His defeat was seen as a sign that dynastic politics within the party was fading. However, he was re-elected to the party's Central Executive Committee in the 2025 Democratic Action Party National Congress held on 16 March 2025, garnering the highest number of votes once again, at 2,785. He succeeded Lim Guan Eng as the party's National Chairman.

Minister of Communications and Multimedia (2018–2020)

Main article: Seventh Mahathir cabinet, 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 Communications and Multimedia on 21 May 2018. 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.

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

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, overseeing a new ministry formed from splitting up the Ministry of Communications and Digital, previously led by 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 allegations of nepotism. 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 placed under the purview of 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 then-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.

Election results

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia
  • [[File:MY Pingat Pertabalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI ribbon.svg|50px]] Recipient of the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2019)
  • [[File:MY Pingat Pertabalan Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVII ribbon.png|50px]] Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal (2024)

References

References

1. (11 June 2009). ""There's no democracy in Parliament" - The Nut Graph".
2. (2018-05-21). "Gobind: Malaysia's 1st Sikh minister". NST Online.
3. "Gobind Singh Deo & Co., Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia Legal Directory".
4. "Gobind receives highest votes in DAP polls".
5. (2022-03-20). "Anthony Loke is new DAP secretary-general; Lim Guan Eng made chairman".
6. (2024-11-10). "Gobind fails to get into top 15 at S'gor DAP polls, Yeo garners most votes".
7. Tan, Joceline. (2024-11-11). "Dynastic politics fading in DAP".
8. (2025-03-16). "DAP announces new CEC line-up, Gobind wins most votes".
9. (2025-03-16). "Gobind is new DAP chairman, Loke retains sec-gen post".
10. (2018-05-21). "Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister". Hindustan Times.
11. "Indian-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister - Times of India". The Times of India.
12. "Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister". Hindustan Times.
13. Maria Thomas. (22 May 2018). "Malaysia has appointed its first Sikh minister: the "little lion of Puchong"". Quartz India.
14. (2018-05-22). "Anti-Fake News Act will be repealed, says Gobind".
15. (3 November 2014). "Federal Court orders Parliament to pay Gobind's salary". The Malaysian Insider.
16. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
17. "KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
18. "my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy)".
19. "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13". [[Utusan Malaysia]].
20. "SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14". [[Election Commission of Malaysia]].
21. "The Star Online GE14". [[The Star (Malaysia).