Maximus Ongkili
Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili (born 26 October 1953) 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 (PN) administration under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin since March 2020 as well as for National Unity and Integration in the Barisan Nasional (BN) 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 (MP) for Kota Marudu since April 1995. He is the President and a member of the United Sabah Party (PBS), a component party of the United Alliance and the ruling PN coalitions.
Maximus Ongkilik | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) | |
| Assumed office 10 March 2020 | |
| Monarch | Abdullah |
| Prime Minister | Muhyiddin Yassin |
| Deputy | Hanifah Hajar Taib |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Constituency | Kota Marudu |
| In office 27 March 2004 – 18 March 2008 | |
| Monarch | Sirajuddin Mizan Zainal Abidin |
| Prime Minister | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi |
| Deputy | Joseph Entulu Belaun |
| Preceded by | Siti Zaharah Sulaiman as Minister of National Unity and Community Development |
| Succeeded by | Shafie Apdal as Minister of National Unity, Arts, Culture and Heritage |
| Constituency | Kota Marudu |
| Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water | |
| In office 16 May 2013 – 10 May 2018 | |
| Monarch | Abdul Halim Muhammad V |
| Prime Minister | Najib Razak |
| Deputy | Mahdzir Khalid (2013–2015) James Dawos Mamit (2015–2018) |
| Preceded by | Peter Chin Fah Kui |
| Succeeded by | Yeo Bee Yin (Energy) Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam (Water) |
| Constituency | Kota Marudu |
| Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation | |
| In office 19 March 2008 – 15 May 2013 | |
| Monarch | Mizan Zainal Abidin Abdul Halim |
| Prime Minister | Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Najib Razak |
| Deputy | Fadillah Yusof |
| Preceded by | Jamaluddin Jarjis |
| Succeeded by | Ewon Ebin |
| Constituency | Kota Marudu |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Kota Marudu (previously Bandau) | |
| Assumed office 25 April 1995 | |
| Preceded by | George Sangkin (PBS) |
| Majority | 4,865 (1995) 1,684 (1999) 3,189 (2004) 4,198 (2008) 842 (2013) 1,774 (2018) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Maximus Johnity Ongkili 26 October 1953 Jesselton, Crown Colony of North Borneo |
| Political party | United Sabah Party |
| Other political affiliations | United Alliance (GBS) Perikatan Nasional (PN) Barisan Nasional (BN) Gagasan Rakyat (GR) |
| Spouse(s) | Joan Maluda (died 2018) |
| Relations | Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Jeffrey Kitingan (Uncles) |
| Children | Rachel Jane Ongkili Andreas Jordan Ongkili |
| Alma mater | La Trobe University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Website | www |
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.[1] He is a Christian of Roman Catholic.[2] 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.[3] 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 (ISA). (See also 1991 Sabah political arrests).
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 (at the time, the Kota Marudu seat was named Bandau). He was appointed as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department after the 2004 election[4] 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.[5]
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.[6]
Election results
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | P147 Bandau, Sabah | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 10,716 | 64.06% | Jeffrey Kitingan (AKAR) | 5,851 | 34.98% | 16,927 | 4,865 | 69.72% | ||
| Jomilon Mojuntin (IND) | 162 | 0.97% | ||||||||||
| 1999 | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 8,465 | 51.38% | Maijol Mahap (UPKO) | 6,781 | 41.16% | 16,678 | 1,684 | 65.66% | |||
| Jomilon Mojuntin (IND) | 162 | 0.97% | ||||||||||
| 2004 | P168 Kota Marudu, Sabah | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 10,457 | 59.00% | Anthony Biri Mandiau (IND) | 7,268 | 41.00% | 18,626 | 3,189 | 66.26% | ||
| 2008 | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 12,028 | 56.14% | Anthony Biri Mandiau (PKR) | 7,830 | 36.55% | 22,172 | 4,198 | 69.51% | |||
| Roslan Mohd Zain (IND) | 1,109 | 5.18% | ||||||||||
| Berman Angkap (BERSEKUTU) | 457 | 2.13% | ||||||||||
| 2013 | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 15,168 | 47.16% | Maijol Mahap (PKR) | 14,326 | 44.53% | 33,077 | 842 | 78.50% | |||
| Majamis Timbong (STAR) | 2,228 | 6.93% | ||||||||||
| Yuntau K. Kolod (SAPP) | 444 | 1.38% | ||||||||||
| 2018 | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 13,033 | 38.44%2 | Maijol Mahap (PHRS) | 11,259 | 33.21%2 | 35,085 | 1,774 | 74.95% | |||
| Barlus Mangabis (WARISAN) | 7,113 | 20.98% | ||||||||||
| Paul Porodong (PCS) | 2,501 | 7.37% | ||||||||||
| Notes: Table excludes votes for candidates who finished in third place or lower. 2 Different % used for 2018 election. | ||||||||||||
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | N06 Langkon, P148 Kota Belud | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 4,171 | 73.47% | Newman Gaban (PBRS) | 1,452 | 25.58% | 5,727 | 2,719 | 74.60% | ||
| Linggu Lincoln Luwing (IND) | 54 | 0.95% | ||||||||||
| 1999 | N05 Tandek, P147 Bandau | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 5,671 | 53.77% | Saibul Supi (UPKO) | 4,412 | 41.84% | 10,677 | 1,259 | 77.09% | ||
| Joe Santi (BERSEKUTU) | 463 | 4.39% | ||||||||||
| 2004 | N05 Tandek, P168 Kota Marudu | Maximus Ongkili (PBS) | 5,069 | 53.96% | George Sangkin (IND) | 2,356 | 25.08% | 9,840 | 2,713 | 67.78% | ||
| Anthony Biri Mandiau (IND) | 692 | 7.37% | ||||||||||
| Shahnuar Bodok (IND) | 685 | 7.29% | ||||||||||
| Abdul Kahar Abdul Rahman (keADILan) | 592 | 6.30% | ||||||||||
Honours
Malacca :
Grand Commander of the Order of Malacca (DGSM) - Datuk Seri (2009)
Sabah :
Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) - Datuk (2002)
Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) - Datuk Seri Panglima (2011)
References
- "The Honourable Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili, JP". Kota Marudu Member of Parliament. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- "Sabah Christians annoyed over Christian Minister's remarks". UCA News. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- Jane Ritikos (31 March 2004). "Ongkili gets his reward". The Star. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- "A big honour for me, says Max". Bernama. Daily Express. 28 March 2004. Archived from the original on 16 August 2004. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- "PBS Retains Old Guards, Introduces Two New Faces". Bernama. 21 February 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- "Ongkili To Lead Malaysian Delegation To ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting". Bernama. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- "Keputusan Pilihan Raya Umum Parlimen/Dewan Undangan Negeri". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Percentage figures based on total turnout (including votes for candidates not listed).
- "Sabah [Parliament Results]". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- "N32 Tambunan". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
