Joniston Bangkuai

Summary

Datuk Joniston Bangkuai is a PBS politician who has represented the Kiulu state constituency in Sabah since 2013 and has served as State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment and Sabah Tourism Board Chairman since October and December 2020 respectively. He is the Information Chief of both PBS and GRS, making him a central figure in the communications and political positioning of Sabah's ruling coalition. His public stances are anchored in Sabah autonomy, the MA63 revenue rights claim, and the development of Sabah's tourism sector.

Biography

Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (born 17 April 1962) is a Malaysian politician and member of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), a component party of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition [1]. He has served as the Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kiulu since May 2013, winning the seat for a fourth consecutive term in the 17th Sabah State Election held on 29 November 2025 [2]. Since October 2020, he has held the post of State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, and has served as Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) since December 2020 [1]. He served as Secretary-General of PBS from January 2021 to July 2022, before taking up the role of Information Chief of PBS in July 2022 and Information Chief of GRS in March 2022 [1]. He was reappointed as GRS Information Chief in May 2026 [2]. Following the 2025 Sabah state election, he was referred to as PBS Vice President [3]. In his ministerial capacity, Joniston has advocated for Sabah to receive a fair share of federal tourism funding ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026, championed eco-tourism and conservation linkages, and overseen STB's establishment of a crisis response unit to manage global uncertainties affecting the tourism sector [4]. He has also taken public positions on Sabah's constitutional rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), calling for a bipartisan committee to advance Sabah's claim to 40% of net federal revenue [3].

Known for

Joniston Bangkuai is most closely identified with the promotion of Sabah's tourism sector and the state's rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), particularly Sabah's claim to 40% of net federal revenue. He serves as the principal communications voice for both PBS and the GRS coalition, regularly articulating the coalition's positions on Sabah autonomy, local governance, and political stability. He has held the Kiulu state seat continuously since 2013, contesting and winning four consecutive elections under the PBS banner.

Political positions

Joniston Bangkuai has consistently advocated for Sabah to be governed by local Sabah-based parties, describing this as a fulfilment of longstanding public aspiration [2]. He supports the GRS coalition model as a mechanism for inclusive, multi-racial local governance modelled on Sarawak's GPS experience [3]. On MA63, he has called for a bipartisan legislative committee — inclusive of opposition and non-parliamentary parties — to advance Sabah's 40% revenue entitlement claim, stating that the issue affects all Sabahans regardless of political affiliation [3]. On tourism, he has advocated for Sabah to receive equitable federal funding for Visit Malaysia 2026 and positioned conservation and eco-tourism as complementary priorities for Sabah [4]. He has supported political stability and post-election cooperation among parties as a prerequisite for continued development in rural constituencies such as Kiulu [3]. He has also highlighted the prioritisation of Native Customary Rights (NCR) land surveying in Kiulu as a state government commitment [3].

Political career

1. May 2013First elected as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly for Kiulu under PBS.⛓
2. 2018Re-elected as MLA for Kiulu under PBS for a second term.⛓
3. September 2020Re-elected as MLA for Kiulu in the 2020 Sabah state election, now under the GRS coalition banner.⛓
4. October 2020Appointed State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.⛓
5. December 2020Appointed Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).⛓
6. January 2021Appointed Secretary-General of PBS, a position he held until July 2022.⛓
7. March 2022Appointed Information Chief of GRS.⛓
8. July 2022Appointed Information Chief of PBS, transitioning from Secretary-General.⛓
9. 29 November 2025Re-elected as MLA for Kiulu in the 17th Sabah State Election under GRS, winning with 4,316 votes and a majority of 1,437.⛓
10. May 2026Reappointed as GRS Information Chief following the coalition's post-election leadership restructuring.⛓

Election history

• 2025KiuluWon36.5%⛓
• 2020KiuluWon⛓
• 2018KiuluWon⛓
• 2013KiuluWon⛓

Perspectives on key issues

• GovernmentAs State Assistant Minister overseeing tourism and as GRS Information Chief, Joniston consistently articulates the GRS coalition's position that Sabah-based local parties are the appropriate governing force for the state, and that the GRS model delivers political stability and development continuity.⛓
• OppositionUmno's Libaran MP Suhaimi Nasir, as reported by Free Malaysia Today, challenged Joniston's framing of PBS loyalty, arguing that PBS owed its political platform to Barisan Nasional and questioning Joniston's standing to speak on political fidelity given PBS's history of alliance shifts.⛓
• VerifiedFactsJoniston Bangkuai won the Kiulu seat in the 17th Sabah State Election (29 November 2025) with 4,316 votes and a majority of 1,437. He has held the seat since 2013. He was reappointed GRS Information Chief in May 2026 and continues as STB Chairman.⛓