Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Maximus J. Ongkili MP |
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Malaysian Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water | |
Assumed office 16 May 2013 |
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Preceded by | Peter Chin Fah Kui |
Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Kota Marudu, Sabah |
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Assumed office 2004 |
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Preceded by | New constituency |
Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. | |
In office 18 March 2008 – 5 May 2013 |
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Preceded by | Jamaluddin Jarjis |
Succeeded by | Ewon Ebin |
Personal details | |
Born |
Maximus Johnity Ongkili 26 October 1953 Jesselton, Crown Colony of North Borneo |
Political party | United Sabah Party |
Other political affiliations |
Barisan Nasional |
Spouse(s) | Joan Maluda |
Relations | Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Jeffrey Kitingan (Uncles) |
Children | Rachel Jane Ongkili Andreas Jordan Ongkili |
Alma mater | La Trobe University |
Occupation | Politician |
Religion | Christianity (Protestantism/Sidang Injil Borneo, formerly Roman Catholic) |
Website | www |
Datuk Seri Panglima Maximus Johnity Ongkili (born 26 October 1953) is a Malaysian politician. He is the Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water and the member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the seat of Kota Marudu in Sabah. He is a member of the United Sabah Party (Malay:Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS) in the governing Barisan Nasional coalition.
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.
Ongkili is the nephew of current Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Jeffrey Kitingan, who is a former vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
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 (ISA). (See also 1991 Sabah political arrests).