Gobind Singh Deo

2023-10-01T10:27:19Z

2001:D08:D2:C153:2D5E:CA2D:D28:E936:

{{short description|Malaysian politician and lawyer}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates}}
{{distinguish||text = [[Guru Gobind Singh]], the Sikh religious leader}}
{{Indian name|Gobind Singh Deo|Karpal Singh}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[Malay titles|Yang Berhormat Tuan]]
| name = Gobind Singh Deo
| native_name = {{nobold|ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਓ}}
| native_name_lang = pa
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of Parliament|MP]]
| image = Gobind Singh Deo - Global Conference for Media Freedom (48256794802) (cropped).jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Gobind Singh Deo s/o Karpal Singh
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|06|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Penang]], [[Malaysia]]
| residence =
| citizenship = [[Malaysian people|Malaysian]]
| death_date =
| death_place =

| office = [[Minister of Communications and Multimedia (Malaysia)|Minister of Communications and Multimedia]]
| monarch = [[Muhammad V of Kelantan|Muhammad V]] {{small|(2018–2019)}} [[Abdullah of Pahang|Abdullah]] {{small|(2019–2020)}}
| primeminister = [[Mahathir Mohamad]]
| term_start = 21 May 2018
| term_end = 24 February 2020
| deputy = [[Eddin Syazlee Shith]]
| predecessor = [[Salleh Said Keruak]]
| successor = [[Saifuddin Abdullah]]
| constituency = [[Puchong (federal constituency)|Puchong]]

| constituency_MP2 = [[Damansara (Selangor federal constituency)|Damansara]]
| parliament2 = Malaysian
| term_start2 = 19 November 2022
| term_end2 =
| majority2 = 124,619 ([[2022 Malaysian general election|2022]])
| predecessor2 = [[Tony Pua|Tony Pua Kiam Wee]] ([[Pakatan Harapan|PH]]–[[Democratic Action Party|DAP]])
| successor2 =

| constituency_MP3 = [[Puchong (federal constituency)|Puchong]]
| parliament3 = Malaysian
| term_start3 = 8 March 2008
| term_end3 = 19 November 2022
| majority3 = 19,972 ([[2008 Malaysian general election|2008]]) 32,802 ([[2013 Malaysian general election|2013]]) 47,635 ([[2018 Malaysian general election|2018]])
| predecessor3 = Lau Yeng Peng ([[Barisan Nasional|BN]]–[[Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia|GERAKAN]])
| successor3 = [[Yeo Bee Yin]] (PH–DAP)

| party = [[Democratic Action Party]] (DAP)
| otherparty = [[Pakatan Rakyat]] (PR) {{small|(2008–2015)}} [[Pakatan Harapan]] (PH) {{small|(since 2015)}}
| occupation = [[Politician]]
| profession = [[Lawyer]]
| relations = [[Jagdeep Singh Deo]] (brother) [[Ramkarpal Singh]] (brother)
| spouse = Sangeeta Kaur Sidhu
| children = Jaydn Jhan Karpal Singh Deo
Kheeshan Karpal Singh Deo
Kayden Karpal Singh Deo
Neshaan Karpal Singh Deo
| alma_mater = [[University of Warwick]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
| parents = [[Karpal Singh]] Gurmit Kaur
| website = {{url|http://gobindsinghdeo.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''Gobind Singh Deo s/o Karpal Singh''' ({{lang-pa|ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਿੰਘ ਦਿਓ|Gobind Siṅgh Dio}}; born 19 June 1973) is a [[Malaysian people|Malaysian]] [[politician]] and [[lawyer]] who has served as the [[Dewan Rakyat|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Damansara (federal constituency)|Damansara]] since November 2022. He served as the [[Minister of Communications and Multimedia (Malaysia)|Minister of Communications and Multimedia]] in the [[Pakatan Harapan]] (PH) administration under former Prime Minister [[Mahathir Mohamad]] from May 2018 to the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020 and the MP for [[Puchong (federal constituency)|Puchong]] from March 2008 to November 2022. He is a member and National Deputy Chairman of the [[Democratic Action Party]] (DAP), a component party of the PH and formerly [[Pakatan Rakyat]] (PR) coalitions. Known as the "Little Lion of Puchong",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenutgraph.com/theres-no-democracy-in-parliament/|title="There's no democracy in Parliament" - The Nut Graph|website=www.thenutgraph.com|date=11 June 2009}}</ref> he is the son of the late DAP leader [[Karpal Singh]], who was known as the "Tiger of Jelutong". His brothers [[Ramkarpal Singh]] and [[Jagdeep Singh Deo]], are also DAP leaders. He also created history by becoming the first ever [[Sikh]] [[Cabinet of Malaysia|Cabinet]] minister in [[Malaysian history]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/371696/gobind-malaysias-1st-sikh-minister|title=Gobind: Malaysia's 1st Sikh minister|date=2018-05-21|work=NST Online|access-date=2018-05-24|language=en}}</ref>

== 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rcakl.org.my/gobind-singh-deo-co-9331.html|title=Gobind Singh Deo & Co., Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia Legal Directory|website=www.rcakl.org.my|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref> 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==
===Member of Parliament (since 2008)===
[[File:Gobind_SIngh_and_Meerashini_Mahadevan_01.jpg|left|thumb|Gobind Singh signing Plaque for Trader Malaysia.]]
In the [[2008 Malaysian general election|2008 general election]], Gobind Singh made his electoral debut after being nominated by PR to contest for the Puchong federal seat. He won the seat and was elected to the [[Parliament of Malaysia|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 Malaysian general election|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 y a majority of 32,802 votes.

In the [[2018 Malaysian general election|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.

In the [[2022 Malaysian general election|2022 general election]], Gobind Singh was renominated 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.

[[File:Gobind Singh in 2023.jpg|left|thumb|Gobind Singh standing and smiling at guests at the [[2023 Selangor state election]] [[Dusun Tua (state constituency)|Dusun Tua]] DAP fundraising dinner in [[Kajang]], [[Selangor]] on 3 June 2023.]]

===Minister of Communications and Multimedia (2018–2020)===
{{main|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 Communication and Multimedia on 21 May 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/gobind-singh-deo-is-malaysia-s-first-sikh-minister/story-E1oFBLb96h1Jqw5vOM8PXM.html|title=Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister|date=2018-05-21|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=2018-05-24|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/nri/other-news/indian-origin-sikh-man-becomes-malaysias-first-minister/amp_articleshow/64268344.cms|title=Indian-origin Sikh man becomes Malaysia's first cabinet minister - Times of India|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=2018-07-19|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/gobind-singh-deo-is-malaysia-s-first-sikh-minister/story-E1oFBLb96h1Jqw5vOM8PXM.html|title=Gobind Singh Deo is Malaysia's first Sikh minister|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=2018-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://qz.com/india/1284409/malaysia-has-appointed-its-first-sikh-minister-gobind-singh-deo-the-little-lion-of-puchong/|title=Malaysia has appointed its first Sikh minister: the "little lion of Puchong"|author=Maria Thomas|publisher=Quartz India|date=22 May 2018}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-22 |title=Anti-Fake News Act will be repealed, says Gobind |url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/05/371756/anti-fake-news-act-will-be-repealed-says-gobind |website=New Straits Times}}</ref>

He lost the position following the collapse of the PH administration in the [[2020 Malaysian political crisis|2020 political crisis]].

=== National Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Action Party ===
At the [[2022 Democratic Action Party National Congress]] on 20 March 2022, Gobind Singh was reelected to the Central Executive Committee of DAP by 1,782 votes. He is also the candidate with the highest number of votes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gobind receives highest votes in DAP polls |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/03/20/gobind-receives-highest-votes-in-dap-polls |access-date=2022-03-20 |website=The Star |language=en}}</ref> He was then reappointed the National Deputy Chairman.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-20 |title=Anthony Loke is new DAP secretary-general; Lim Guan Eng made chairman |url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/anthony-loke-new-dap-secretarygeneral-lim-guan-eng-made-chairman |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=The Edge Markets}}</ref>

== Controversies and issues ==
In 2009 he was suspended from Parliament for 12 months for calling the Prime Minister, [[Najib Razak]], a "[[Murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa|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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/federal-court-orders-parliament-to-pay-gobinds-salary |title=Federal Court orders Parliament to pay Gobind's salary |date=3 November 2014 |work=The Malaysian Insider |access-date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103094633/http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/federal-court-orders-parliament-to-pay-gobinds-salary |archive-date=3 November 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

== Election results ==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ '''[[Dewan Rakyat|Parliament of Malaysia]]'''<ref>{{Cite web
|title=Malaysia Decides 2008
|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)]]
|url=http://thestar.com.my/election/
|access-date=3 January 2010
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111075207/http://thestar.com.my/election/
|archive-date=11 January 2010
|df=dmy
}} Results only available from the [[2004 Malaysian general election|2004 election]].</ref><ref name="election results">{{cite web|url=http://semak.spr.gov.my/spr/laporan/5_KedudukanAkhir.php |title=Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri |publisher=[[Election Commission of Malaysia]] |language=ms|access-date=26 May 2010}} Percentage figures based on total turnout.</ref><ref name="undiinfo">{{Cite web
| title = Malaysia General Election
| work = undiinfo Malaysian Election Data
| publisher = [[Malaysiakini]]
| url = http://undi.info/#
| access-date = 4 February 2017}} Results only available from the [[2004 Malaysian general election|2004 election]].</ref><ref name="PRU13">{{cite web |url=http://resultpru13.spr.gov.my/module/keputusan/paparan/paparan_laporan.php |title=KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM 13|work=Sistem Pengurusan Maklumat Pilihan Raya Umum|publisher=[[Election Commission of Malaysia]]|language=ms|access-date=24 March 2017}}Results only available for the [[2013 Malaysian general election|2013 election]].</ref><ref name ="myundi pru 13">{{cite web |url=http://www.myundi.com.my/pru13/region.aspx |title=my undi : Kawasan & Calon-Calon PRU13 : Keputusan PRU13 (Archived copy) |website=www.myundi.com.my|access-date=2014-04-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331000718/http://www.myundi.com.my/pru13/region.aspx |archive-date=31 March 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Utusan PRU 13 results">{{cite web|url=http://ww2.utusan.com.my/utusan/special.asp?pr=PilihanRaya2013&pg=keputusan.htm|title=Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13|work=[[Utusan Malaysia]]|access-date=26 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321134049/http://ww2.utusan.com.my/utusan/special.asp?pr=PilihanRaya2013&pg=keputusan.htm|archive-date=21 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="GE14 results">{{cite web|url=https://keputusan.spr.gov.my/|title=SEMAKAN KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM KE - 14|publisher=[[Election Commission of Malaysia]] |language=ms|access-date=17 May 2018}} Percentage figures based on total turnout.</ref><ref name="The Star GE14">{{cite web|url=https://election.thestar.com.my/|title=The Star Online GE14|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|access-date=24 May 2018}} Percentage figures based on total turnout.</ref>
!|Year
!Constituency
! colspan="2" |Candidate
!|Votes
!|Pct
!colspan=2|Opponent(s)
!|Votes
!|Pct
!|Ballots cast
!|Majority
!|Turnout
|-
|[[2008 Malaysian general election|2008]]
| rowspan="4" |'''P103 [[Puchong (federal constituency)|Puchong]]'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic Action Party}} |
|{{nowrap|'''Gobind Singh Deo'''}} ([[Democratic Action Party (Malaysia)|'''DAP''']])
|align="right" |'''35,079'''
|'''59.14%'''
|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |
|Lau Yeng Peng ([[Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia|GERAKAN]])
|align="right" |15,107
|25.47%
|59,317
|19,972
|78.44%
|-
|[[2013 Malaysian general election|2013]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic Action Party}} |
|{{nowrap|'''Gobind Singh Deo'''}} ([[Democratic Action Party (Malaysia)|'''DAP''']])
|align="right" |'''62,938'''
|'''66.69%'''
|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |
|A. Kohilan Pillay ([[Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia|GERAKAN]])
|align="right" |30,136
|31.93%
|94,367
|32,802
|88.19%
|-
| rowspan=2|[[2018 Malaysian general election|2018]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Keadilan}} |
| rowspan=2| '''Gobind Singh Deo ([[Democratic Action Party (Malaysia)|DAP]])'''
| rowspan=2 align="right" | '''60,429'''
| rowspan=2|'''72.66%'''
| {{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |
|Ang Chin Tat ([[Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia|GERAKAN]])
| align="right" | 12,794
| 13.27%
| rowspan=2|96,437
| rowspan=2|47,635
| rowspan=2|87.47%
|-
|{{Party shading/PAS}} |
|Mohamad Rosharizan Mohd Rozlan ([[Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party|PAS]])
|10,255
|10.63%
|-
|rowspan=2|[[2022 Malaysian general election|2022]]
|rowspan=2|'''P106 [[Damansara (federal constituency)|Damansara]]'''
|rowspan=2 {{Party shading/PH}} |
|rowspan=2|{{nowrap|'''Gobind Singh Deo'''}} ([[Democratic Action Party|'''DAP''']])
|rowspan=2 align="right" |'''142,875'''
|rowspan=2|'''81.67%'''
|{{Party shading/Perikatan Nasional}} |
|Lim Si Ching ([[Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia|GERAKAN]])
|align="right" |18,256
|10.44%
|rowspan=2|176,625
|rowspan=2|124,619
|rowspan=2|73.9%
|-
|{{Party shading/Barisan Nasional}} |
|Tan Gim Tuan ([[Malaysian Chinese Association|MCA]])
|align="right" |13,806
|7.89%
|}

== See also ==
* [[Puchong (federal constituency)]]
* [[Damansara (federal constituency)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{cci}}

{{Malaysia 15th FedRep}}
{{Seventh Mahathir cabinet}}
{{Pakatan Harapan}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deo, Gobind Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:People from Penang]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Punjabi descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian Sikhs]]
[[Category:20th-century Malaysian lawyers]]
[[Category:Democratic Action Party (Malaysia) politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the Dewan Rakyat]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Malaysia]]
[[Category:21st-century Malaysian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Malaysian lawyers]]

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Gobind Singh Deo