Maximus Ongkili

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Panglima Dr.
Maximus Ongkili
SPDK PGDK SSAP DGSM
Yang Berbahagia Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Ongkili SPDK PGDK SSAP DGSM
Chairman of the ; Energy Commission of Sabah
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 1 February 2023
Governor	Juhar Mahiruddin
Chief Minister	Hajiji Noor
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department ; Sabah and Sarawak Affairs
	In office; 30 August 2021 – 24 November 2022
Monarch	Abdullah
Prime Minister	Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Deputy	Hanifah Hajar Taib
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Armizan Mohd Ali
Constituency	Kota Marudu
	In office; 10 March 2020 – 16 August 2021
Monarch	Abdullah
Prime Minister	Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputy	Hanifah Hajar Taib
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Himself
Constituency	Kota Marudu
	In office; 27 March 2004 – 18 March 2008 ; National Unity and Integration
Monarchs	Sirajuddin; Mizan Zainal Abidin
Prime Minister	Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Deputy	Joseph Entulu Belaun
Preceded by	Siti Zaharah Sulaiman ; (Minister of National Unity and Community Development)
Succeeded by	Shafie Apdal ; (Minister of National Unity, Arts, Culture and Heritage)
Constituency	Kota Marudu
Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water
	In office; 16 May 2013 – 9 May 2018
Monarchs	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
Monarchs	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
	In office; 21 March 2004 – 19 November 2022
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Wetrom Bahanda (KDM)
Majority	3,189 (2004); 4,198 (2008); 842 (2013); 1,774 (2018)
Member of the Malaysian Parliament; for Bandau
	In office; 25 April 1995 – 21 March 2004
Preceded by	George Sangkin (PBS)
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Majority	4,865 (1995); 1,684 (1999)
Ministerial roles (Sabah)
1994	Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister
Faction represented in Dewan Rakyat
1995–2002	United Sabah Party
2002–2018	Barisan Nasional
2018–2022	United Sabah Party
2022	Gabungan Rakyat Sabah
Faction represented in Sabah State Legislative Assembly
1994–2002	United Sabah Party
2002–2008	Barisan Nasional
Personal details
Born	Maximus Johnity Ongkili; 26 October 1953 (age 70); 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); Parti Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS Party)
Spouse	Joan Maluda (died 2018)
Relations	James Peter Ongkili (brother) ; Joseph Pairin Kitingan (uncle) ; Jeffrey Kitingan (uncle)
Children	Rachel Jane Ongkili; Andreas Jordan Ongkili
Alma mater	La Trobe University
Occupation	Politician
Website	www.mpkotamarudu.my

Datuk Seri Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili (born 26 October 1953) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Chairman of the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECOS) since February 2023.^[1] He served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs for the second term in the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration under former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob from August 2021 to the collapse of the BN administration in November 2022, the first term in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration under former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from March 2020 to August 2021 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 and the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water in the BN administration under former Prime Minister Najib Razak from May 2013 to May 2018, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kota Marudu from March 2004 to November 2022 and for Bandau from April 1995 to March 2004. He is the 2nd President and a member of the United Sabah Party (PBS), a component party of the Sabah People's Alliance (GRS).^[2]

Personal life

Ongkili was born on 26 October 1953 in Kota Kinabalu to parents from the district of Tambunan, namely a police officer, Alexius @ Alexander Ongkili Indoh, Snr. (1910–1991) from Kampung Lintuhun who was then reassigned to the Sabah police contingent headquarters of the Royal Malaysia Police (then known as the North Borneo Constabulary), but later acquired land and settled in Keningau (in the village of Kampung Ria Tuarid Taud) after his retirement from the police force and a housewife, Battindoi Kondilab Komboon (1915–1986), a native of Kampung Karanaan.

He is married with two children (currently widowed since 2018 and has since remarried as of 2023) and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Economics, conferred by Australia's La Trobe University.^[3] He is a Christian belonging to the Borneo Evangelical Church (but formerly a Roman Catholic from birth until his adulthood, when he was deemed to be born again by converting to Protestantism via the said denomination).^[4] Ongkili is also the nephew of former Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister II Jeffrey Kitingan, who is the President of the Homeland Solidarity Party (STAR).

Political career

In the Opposition

Ongkili was originally an opposition politician but joined the government when the PBS joined the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in 2002.

In 1991, he was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act for 59 days.^[5] 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 a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department after the 2004 election^[6] 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.^[7]

In 2008, Ongkili became the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation. Then, after his victory in the 2013 general elections, Ongkili has been appointed Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister.^[8]

Election results

**Parliament of Malaysia**^[9]^[10]
Year	Constituency		Votes	Pct		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1995	P147 Bandau	Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	10,716	64.06%	Jeffrey Kitingan (AKAR)	5,851	34.98%	16,927	4,865	69.72%
1995		Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	10,716	64.06%	Conrad Jomilon Mojuntin (IND)	162	0.97%	16,927	4,865	69.72%
1999		Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	8,465	51.38%	Maijol Mahap (UPKO)	6,781	41.16%	16,678	1,684	65.66%
1999		Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	8,465	51.38%	Conrad Jomilon Mojuntin (IND)	162	0.97%	16,678	1,684	65.66%
2004	P168 Kota Marudu	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%
2022		Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	16,144	32.32%	Wetrom Bahanda (KDM)	24,318	48.69%	49,946	8,174	61.86%
					Jilid Kuminding (WARISAN)	5,320	10.65%
					Shahrizal Denci (MUDA)	3,225	6.46%
					Norman Tulang (Independent)	660	1.32%
					Mohd Azmi Zulkiflee (PEJUANG)	279	0.56%
Notes: Table excludes votes for candidates who finished in third place or lower. ² Different % used for 2018 election.

**Sabah State Legislative Assembly**^[11]
Year	Constituency		Votes	Pct		Votes	Pct	Ballots cast	Majority	Turnout
1994	N06 Langkon	Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	4,171	73.47%	Newman Gaban (PBRS)	1,452	25.58%	5,727	2,719	74.60%
1994	N06 Langkon	Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	4,171	73.47%	Linggu Lincoln Luwing (IND)	54	0.95%	5,727	2,719	74.60%
1999	N05 Tandek	Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	5,671	53.77%	Saibul Supi (UPKO)	4,412	41.84%	10,677	1,259	77.09%
1999	N05 Tandek	Maximus Ongkili (PBS)	5,671	53.77%	Joe Santi (BERSEKUTU)	463	4.39%	10,677	1,259	77.09%
2004	N05 Tandek	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

Sabah :
- Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (PGDK) – Datuk (2002)^[12]
- Grand Commander of the Order of Kinabalu (SPDK) – Datuk Seri Panglima (2011)^[13]
Malacca :
- Grand Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DGSM) – Datuk Seri (2009)^[14]
Pahang :
- Grand Knight of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (SSAP) – Dato' Sri (2015)^[14]