On 4th and 5th February 2026, Perdana Leadership Foundation conducted an Oral History session with Tan Sri Datuk (Dr.) Abdul Majid Khan, Executive Chairman of Jaycorp Berhad, as part of its Malaysian Leaders Oral History series. The two-day interview provided a reflective account of Tan Sri’s early life in Sabah, his entry into politics, and his reflections on the formation of Malaysia in 1963 as well as his views on contemporary issues such as the Sabah 2025 State Election.
Hailing from Sabah, Tan Sri Datuk (Dr.) Abdul Majid Khan is an established businessman and entrepreneur with extensive experience in banking, corporate leadership, politics, and public service. He has held key leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, including serving as political secretary to the late Tun Fuad Stephens before becoming a Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, and in senior positions within major financial and corporate institutions. He is currently the Chairman of Jawala Corporation Sdn Bhd and Executive Chairman of Jaycorp Berhad, as well as Chairman of Jawala Plantation Industries Sdn Bhd. He also serves as Chairman of the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific and Advisor to the Malaysian Furniture Council.
“The problem today is that everyone wants to hold on to their job. As long as you hold a position — especially as a trustee — you carry a fiduciary responsibility. You must be prepared to let go of your position the moment you are directed to do something that is not right. If you are unwilling to do so, then you have a problem. Integrity must always come before position.” Tan Sri said to our question on leadership.
The interview was conducted by Mr Ismail Adnan, News Anchor and Presenter at Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), together with Dr Syahruddin Awang Ahmad, Deputy Dean (Research, Innovation, and Commercialisation), Faculty of Social Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
Tan Sri’s Advice to the Younger Generation:
“The young generation today is far better educated and more exposed than I was in my early years. However, what matters most is clarity of purpose. Young people must ask themselves: What role do I want to play in this world? Without that clarity, it is difficult to move forward with direction and conviction. They must have faith and confidence in themselves. Malaysia holds tremendous opportunities for the future — there is no need to worry, provided they are willing to work hard and remain disciplined. Failure is an option — but only if you learn from it. If you repeat the same mistakes, you will fail again. But if you reflect, improve, and persevere, failure becomes a lesson. Success requires determination, discipline, and the courage to keep going. The only real failure is giving up.”
The conversation captured lessons drawn from Tan Sri Majid’s decades of experience, and forms part of the Perdana Leadership Foundation’s ongoing efforts to preserve and document the narratives of Malaysia’s leaders for future generations. The publication featuring our conversations with Tan Sri Datuk (Dr.) Abdul Majid Khan is scheduled for release later this year.
