Maximus Ongkili


Maximus Johnity Ongkili is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs in the Perikatan Nasional administration under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin since March 2020 as well as for National Unity and Integration in the Barisan Nasional administration under former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi from March 2004 to March 2008 for almost 4 years. He was also the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak from May 2013 to May 2018 for almost 5 years. He has also been the Member of Parliament for Kota Marudu since April 1995. He is the President and a member of the United Sabah Party, a component party of the United Alliance and the ruling PN coalitions.

Personal life

Ongkili was born on 26 October 1953 in Kota Kinabalu but hails from the district of Tambunan in the interior part of the state. He is married with two children and has a Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Economics, conferred by Australia's La Trobe University. He is a Christian of Roman Catholic. Ongkili is the nephew of former Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Jeffrey Kitingan, who is a former vice-president of the People's Justice Party.

Political career

In the Opposition

Ongkili was originally an opposition politician but joined the government when the PBS joined the Barisan Nasional coalition in 2002.
In 1991 he was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act for 59 days. This was part of political arrests carried out between 1990 and 1991 to crack down on opposition leaders in Sabah, Malaysia, and their alleged plans to secede the state from Malaysia, allegedly known as Operation Talkak. Seven men were detained under the Internal Security Act..
At the time of his arrest on 3 January 1991, Ongkili was a senior researcher and deputy chief director of IDS and electoral press consultant to then Chief Minister of Sabah Joseph Pairin Kitingan during the 1990 Sabah state and national elections. He was released unconditionally on 2 March.

In the Government

Ongkili entered Parliament in the 1995 general election. He was appointed as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department after the 2004 election by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Ongkili was placed in charge of National Unity, and headed the initiation of the Khidmat Negara conscription program.
Ongkili was also a member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly until the 2008 election, when he stood aside from his Tandek seat.
In 2008, Ongkili became the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation. Then after his winning in the 2013 general election, Ongkili has been appointed as Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister.

Election results

Honours