Harris Salleh

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato' Sri Harris Mohd Salleh PMN SPMJ SJMK SPMS SSAP DA
حارث محمّد صالح‎
6th Chief Minister of Sabah
In office 6 June 1976 – 22 April 1985
Governor	Mohd Hamdan Abdullah Ahmad Koroh Mohamad Adnan Robert
Preceded by	Fuad Stephens
Succeeded by	Joseph Pairin Kitingan
Personal details
Born	Harris bin Mohd Salleh (1930-11-04) 4 November 1930 (age 94) Crown Colony of Labuan (now Labuan, Malaysia)
Political party	USNO (–1975) BERJAYA (1975–1991) UMNO (1991–1998) BERSEKUTU (1998–2010)[1]
Spouse	Rupiah Bachee Khan

Tan Sri Dato' Sri Harris bin Mohd Salleh (born 4 November 1930) is a Malaysian politician who served as the 6th Chief Minister of Sabah from June 1976 to April 1985. During his tenure, he ceded the island of Labuan, which used to be part of the state of Sabah, to the federal Government, making it the second federal territory of Malaysia.^[2] He was also the founding President of the Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA).

Election results

Sabah State Legislative Assembly^[3]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1967	N18 Sipitang-Ulu Padas		Harris Salleh (USNO)	2,686	63.05%		Sadum Agong (UPKO)	1,574	36.95%	4,354	1,112	88.91%
1971	N15 Labuan		Harris Salleh (USNO)	Unopposed
1976	N43 Tenom		Harris Salleh (BERJAYA)	2,292	74.05%		Yong Peck Fong (SCA)	763	24.65%	3,176	1,529	82.67%
							Bijun Ginandah (IND)	40	1.29%
1981			Harris Salleh (BN)	2,988	75.84%		Gamparon Lajah (PASOK)	861	21.85%	4,036	2,127	77.85%
							Awang Yahya (USNO)	51	1.29%
							Yong Yung Lee (IND)	40	1.02%
1985	N39 Tenom		Harris Salleh (BN)	1,727	35.88%		Kadoh Agundong (PBS)	2,622	54.48%	4,858	895	78.56%
							Leong Chau Chu (USNO)	427	8.87%
							Arajai Mantias (BERSEPADU)	37	0.77%
1990	N38 Sipitang		Harris Salleh (BERJAYA)	969	15.41%		Jawawi Isa (PBS)	2,437	38.77%	6,361	276	82.24%
							Yusof Yacob (USNO)	2,161	34.38%
							Othman Mohamad Yassin (IND)	597	9.49%
							Pius Ganang (AKAR)	86	1.36%
							Ramlah Rammelan (PRS)	35	0.55%

Parliament of Malaysia^[3]

Year	Constituency	Candidate		Votes	Pct	Opponent(s)		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1978	P129 Ulu Padas		Harris Salleh (BN)	Unopposed
1982			Harris Salleh (BN)	8,252	72.81%		Halik Zaman (IND)	2,486	21.93%	11,595	5,766	73.22%
							Jamparon Laja (PAS)	425	3.75%
							Lawrence Liki (IND)	171	1.51%

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia
  • Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (2011)^[4][5]
• Johor
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1980)^[6]
• Kelantan
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Life of the Crown of Kelantan (SJMK) – Dato' (1984)^[7]
• Pahang
  • Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (1982)
• Sabah
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (1968, returned 1986^[8])
• Sarawak
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DA) – Datuk Amar (1980)^[9]
• Selangor
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Selangor (SPMS) – Dato' Seri (1980)^[10]

References

1. "Harris cites "prevailing uncertainties" for re-entry into politics". New Sunday Times. 30 March 1998. p. 3. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
2. Åsgård, Björn."A Study of the Kadazan Dusun, Sabah, Malaysia" Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Ethnic Awareness and Development, p. 47. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
3. TindakMalaysia/HISTORICAL-ELECTION-RESULTS, TindakMalaysia, 21 December 2024, retrieved 26 December 2024
4. "Senarai Penerima Panglima Mangku Negara Tahun 2011" (PDF). www.istiadat.gov.my.
5. "Yang di-Pertuan Agong's Birthday Honours List 2011". The Star. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
6. "Johore honours list – 101 made Datuks". New Straits Times. 28 October 1980. p. 1.
7. Kelantan award for Harris. New Straits Times. 21 August 1984. p. 1.
8. Harris decides to return State award. New Straits Times. 13 September 1986.
9. Mahathir heads Sarawak honours list. New Straits Times. 1 July 1980. p. 1.
10. "SPMS 1980". awards.selangor.gov.my. Retrieved 7 April 2022.

Other

• Rafaelle, Paul. "Harris Salleh of Sabah", Condor Publishing, Hong Kong (1986). ISBN 962-7212-01-6

Political offices
Preceded by Fuad Stephens	Chief Minister of Sabah 1976–1985	Succeeded by Joseph Pairin Kitingan