In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Yusof is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Fadillah. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Fadillah is a member of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), a component party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.[5] He is also the Parliamentary Whip of GPS and has served as Senior Vice President of PBB since 2017. He was the Youth Chief of PBB from 2007 to 2017.
Early life and education
Fadillah was born on 17 April 1962 at Kampung Hilir in Sibu to Yusof Merais (1927–2018) and Dayang Rosnah Abang Madeli (1932–2023). He is the ninth child of 14 siblings. Fadillah's father, Yusof Merais, was a community activist during the era of the anti-cession of Sarawak to the British colonials in 1946. He was imprisoned twice, including when he was implicated in the assassination of British Governor Duncan Stewart in Sibu in 1949. He was a friend of Rosli Dhobi, who assassinated Stewart. Yusof had participated in the Malay Youth Movement, which opposed the handover of Sarawak to the British, and he was also involved in the Black Crow group that opposed the colonial presence and demanded Sarawakian independence. After the movement was banned following the assassination of Stewart, he continued the struggle with the Sarawkian Youth Front, led by Ahmad Zaidi Adruce. The second time he was imprisoned was during the confrontation over the formation of Malaysia in 1962. Yusof died at the age of 91 in 2018.
Fadillah attended St. Mary's Primary School in Sibu and Panglima Bukit Gantang Secondary School in Parit Buntar for his secondary education. In 1986, he pursued a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in Civil and Sharia at University of Malaya.
In a cabinet announcement on 2 December 2022, Fadillah was appointed Deputy Prime Minister alongside Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Simultaneously, he was assigned the role of Minister of Plantation and Commodities. Fadillah's appointment is of historic significance as he is the first individual from Sarawak to hold the country's second-highest political office since the formation of Malaysia. Sarawak is one of the East Malaysian states.
Personal life
Fadillah is married to Ruziah Mohd Tahir. The couple has five children.