Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili is a local Sabahan who has risen to become a community leader with integrity and is widely respected by Malaysians, particularly in Sabah. He was born in a Police Barrack, Jesselton (now known as Kota Kinabalu) on 26 October 1953. He obtained his early education in Tambunan Primary School, St Martin’s Secondary School, Tambunan and in Keningau Secondary School (now known as SMK Gunsanad).

Dr. Maximus was a Headboy in Sabah College from 1973 to 1974 before pursuing his further studies in Melbourne, Australia under the Colombo Plan Scholarship Scheme in 1974. He completed his academic course at La Trobe University, Melbourne in the field of Agricultural Science and Agricultural Economics, and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture Science (1981) and Ph.D. (1985). He was awarded the La Trobe University Distinguished Alumni in April 2009. He also completed fellowship and summer programmes at the United Nations University, Tokyo and Harvard Institute for International Development, Boston.

Upon completion of his tertiary studies in Australia, Dr. Maximus worked as a university lecturer in the Faculty of Resource Economics and Agribusiness at the Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang (now known as Universiti Putra Malaysia) from 1985 until 1986. He was also a senior researcher with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in 1985 to 1987.

In 1987, Dr. Maximus returned to Sabah and joined the Sabah Institute for Development Studies (IDS) as Associate Director. In 1991 to 1994, he held the post of Executive Director cum Chief Executive of IDS.

Dr. Maximus joined politics in the early 1994 when he was nominated to stand as a PBS candidate in the Sabah State General Elections 1994 and in which he won the State Constituency of N.6 Langkon. When the PBS government collapsed in 1994 as a result of several PBS Assemblymen "leap-frogging" and defecting to other parties, Dr. Maximus was appointed the PBS Secretary - General before being elected to his present post of Deputy President in October 1994. Dr. Maximus is the Chairman of the party's Disciplinary Commitee and also heads the party's Research and Training Bureau.

In the 1995 Parliamentary Elections, he was nominated as a PBS candidate for the constituency of P.147 Bandau and subsequently won the seat with a majority of 4,865 votes. He once again contested in March 1999 for the State Constituency of N.5 Tandek and won with a majority of 1,259 votes. He won the parliamentary seat of P. 147 Bandau for the second term in 1999 with a majority of 1,459 votes. He went on to win both the State and Parliamentary seats in the 2004 General Election. In the 12th Malaysia General Elections held on 8th March 2008, Dr. Maximus won the P.168 Kota Marudu with an increased majority of 4,198 votes.

In the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, he was a member of the Public Accounts Committee for two consecutive terms, and in Parliament, he was also a member of the Public Accounts Committee for two consecutive terms (1995-2003). He represented PBS in the National Economic Consultative Council or MAPEN II and subsequently appointed as the Deputy Chairman of the "Jawatankuasa Kemiskinan MAPEN II". Dr. Maximus was also a member of the National IT Council and was a pioneering member of the National Service Training Council.

As a Member of Parliament for P.147 Bandau for the term 1995-1999, he took active part in the debates where he delivered more than 100 speeches and submitted more than 150 written and oral questions.

In his free time, Dr. Maximus indulges in gardening, writing, fishing, hunting and also conducts lectures through seminars relating to education, economics, leadership and spiritual values. He took up golf in 2004 and plays regularly at handicap 18 when time permits.

He is also an elected Deputy President of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association, Sabah (KDCA) and has organised many community-related activities. As the Deputy President of the KDCA, he is also entrusted to lead in the organising of the Sabah State-level Tadau Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) since 2007 held annually on 30th and 31st May at the KDCA Hongkod Koisaan (Cultural Centre), Penampang

On 16th September 2002, in recognition for his services to the State and Nation, he was conferred the "Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK)" which carries the title "Datuk", the State's second highest award by the Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di Pertua Negeri Sabah.

Prior to the dissolution of the Sabah State Assembly in March 2004, Dr. Maximus was the Science Advisor to the Chief Minister of Sabah. After winning the State Constituency seat of N.5 Tandek and the Parliamentary Constituency of P.168 Kota Marudu in the March 2004 General Elections, Dr. Maximus was appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department with a special portfolio of National Unity and Integration. He was subsequently appointed by the Prime Minister to be the Chairman of the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) for the period 2004 – 2007.

On the 12th General Elections held on 8th March 2008, Dr. Maximus won the Parliamentary seat of P.168 Kota Marudu for the fourth term and was subsequently appointed as the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation on 18th March 2008.

In conjunction with the 71st birthday of Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob on 10th October 2009, Dr. Maximus was conferred Melaka's highest award, Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (DGSM), which carries the title 'Datuk Seri'.

In Kota Marudu, Dr. Maximus together with his wife Joan Maluda and two children, Rachel Jane Ongkili and Andreas Jordan Ongkili, live in Jalan Bunsadan, Kg. Bunsadan, Kota Marudu.