Arthur Joseph Kurup (born 4 August 1981) is a Malaysian politician, lawyer and economist who has served as the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since December 2025, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pensiangan since May 2018 and Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Sook since November 2025.
He previously served as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar and Minister Mohamad Sabu from December 2023 to his promotion in December 2025, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation prior to the 2023 cabinet reshuffle under Minister Chang Lih Kang from December 2022 to December 2023, Deputy Minister of Works in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former Minister Fadillah Yusof from August 2021 to the collapse of the BN administration in November 2022 and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Economic Affairs in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former Minister Mustapa Mohamed from March 2020 to the collapse of the PN administration in August 2021.
He is a member of the United Sabah People's Party (PBRS), a component party of the BN coalition. He has also served as the State Chairman of BN of Sabah since January 2026 and the 2nd President of PBRS since January 2023. He is also presently the sole PBRS MP elected in the 2022 General election. Additionally, he is presently the third youngest Cabinet minister in the Anwar Ibrahim cabinet after Minister of Youth and Sports Mohammed Taufiq Johari and Minister of Economy Akmal Nasir at the age of 45 years, 84 days. Prior to the 2025 Malaysian cabinet reshuffle that saw his promotion to a Cabinet minister, he was the only president of a party appointed as a deputy minister.
Career
Arthur previously worked as a Trade and Legal Officer at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland before returning to Malaysia. He served as a Director of Sabah Housing and Development Town Board.
Politics
He is the eldest son of the 1st and founding President of PBRS Joseph Kurup. He served as the Deputy President of PBRS from November 2015 to his promotion to party presidency in January 2023 and had served as Vice President and Youth Chief of PBRS in the past. In the 2018 general election, his party of United Sabah People's Party (PBRS) fielded him to contest the Pensiangan parliamentary seat to succeed his father and party president, Joseph Kurup. He faced Raymond Ahuar from the People's Justice Party (PKR) and defeated him.
Election results
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | P182 Pensiangan | Arthur Joseph Kurup (PBRS) | 11,783 | 48.35% | Raymond Ahuar (PKR) | 9,469 | 38.86% | 24,368 | 2,314 | 77.66% | ||
| Richard Joe Jimmy (STAR) | 2,839 | 11.65% | ||||||||||
| Maidin Atak (PCS) | 212 | 0.87% | ||||||||||
| Engah Sintan (IND) | 65 | 0.27% | ||||||||||
| 2022 | Arthur Joseph Kurup (PBRS) | 19,623 | 52.88% | Sangkar Rasam (PKR) | 14,211 | 38.29% | 37,110 | 5,412 | 66.66% | |||
| Jekerison Kilan (KDM) | 1,640 | 4.42% | ||||||||||
| Siti Noorhasmahwatty Osman (WARISAN) | 1,512 | 4.07% | ||||||||||
| Jamani Derimin (PEJUANG) | 124 | 0.33% | ||||||||||
| Year | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | N43 Sook | Arthur Joseph Kurup (PBRS) | 8,307 | 57.90% | Ellron Alfred Angin (GRS) | 3,580 | 24.95% | 14,347 | 4,727 | 70.50% | ||
| Ireneus Pagut @ Jreneus Pagut (STAR) | 1,681 | 11.70% | ||||||||||
| Joseph Peter Tinggi (WARISAN) | 708 | 4.93% | ||||||||||
| Jurinah Nasir (PIS) | 161 | 1.07% | ||||||||||
Honours
Honours of Malaysia
- Malaysia
- Recipient of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Medal
- Federal Territory (Malaysia)
- Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2021)
- Pahang
- Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2025)
- Sabah
- Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (2023)
- Companion of the Order of Kinabalu (ASDK) (2021)
- Justice of the Peace (JP) (2015)
