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KUALA LUMPUR – The 'first podcaster to be arrested' Shamsul Saad, widely known as Sam, has officially stepped into the political arena following his appointment as a new leader in Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
Speaking after the party’s press conference on its leadership induction and national budget recommendations at Pusat Perdagangan Kuchai Lama, the 62-year-old business figure explained that his decision to join politics stems from a desire to address structural issues in governance, education and healthcare.
“I do believe that actually we as business people who started from ground up, we have the experience both in our life and our career to actually really do real things for the country,” he said.
“We need a whole overhaul in our governance, in our education, in our healthcare system,” he remarked, adding that business professionals bring a practical perspective to economic policies.
When asked about choosing PBM over other political parties, Sam highlighted the party’s open leadership culture and the receptiveness of figures like former DAP leader Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew and party president Datuk Larry Sng. Sng is currently Julau MP.
“I find Larry to be someone that will listen, and even Ronnie listens,” he noted, emphasising that effective leadership requires the willingness to hear differing views.
He added that PBM's compact size allows its members to shape the platform into a meaningful governing force rather than just an isolated voice in Parliament.
Addressing socio-economic narratives, Sam expressed his intention to challenge long-standing political tropes regarding the Bumiputera community, advocating for self-reliance and reduced political dependency.
He also stressed the importance of unity, rejecting political discrimination against non-Bumiputeras and sharing his own positive experiences of building businesses with partners from diverse backgrounds.
Sam stated that his late-career transition into politics is not motivated by money or fame, but by a commitment to ending hypocrisy, tackling corruption and delivering genuine reform for the country.
Sam’s political debut comes shortly after his arrest alongside podcast host Brian Tan on Aug 6 this year.
The two were detained following police reports over viral TikTok clips of a Let's Get It podcast episode, where they discussed topics including the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and tahfiz schools.
Police investigated them for allegedly touching on racial and religious sensitivities under the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act, holding Sam in custody for two days before his release.