Joachim Gunsalam (born 22 January 1958) is a Malaysian politician and physician who has served as the Deputy Chief Minister I of Sabah and State Minister of Works and Utilities of Sabah in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state administration under Chief Minister Hajiji Noor since December 2025, as well as Member of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kundasang since March 2004. He previously served as State Minister of Housing and Local Government of Sabah from January 2023 until November 2025. He is a member of the United Sabah Party (PBS), a component party of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and formerly Barisan Nasional (BN) coalitions. He has served as the Acting President of PBS since June 2024 and Deputy President of PBS for the Non-Muslim Bumiputera quota since June 2022.[1][2] He previously served as Vice President of PBS for the Non-Muslim Bumiputera quota from 2006 to 2022.[3][4]
Career
He was appointed as one of the Deputy Chief Ministers of Sabah as part of the victorious Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition in the 2020 and 2025 state elections.
Election results
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Pct | Opponent(s) | Votes | Pct | Ballots cast | Majority | Turnout | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | N29 Kundasang | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 3,091 | 54.12% | Kaibi Laiman (SETIA) | 1,097 | 19.21% | 5,931 | 1,997 | 68.31% |
| Arimin Moidi (IND) | 1,075 | 18.82% | ||||||||
| Asidin Teilok (keADILan) | 448 | 7.85% | ||||||||
| 2008 | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 3,597 | 54.77% | Japiril Suhaimin (IND) | 1,791 | 27.26% | 6,780 | 1,806 | 70.47% | |
| Karim Adam (PKR) | 1,180 | 17.97% | ||||||||
| 2013 | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 4,206 | 41.93% | Satiol Indong (PKR) | 2,231 | 22.23% | 10,295 | 1,975 | 77.40% | |
| Japiril Suhaimin (SAPP) | 2,102 | 20.96% | ||||||||
| Jain Sauting (STAR) | 1,117 | 11.14% | ||||||||
| Sam Hondou (IND) | 288 | 2.87% | ||||||||
| Cleftus Stephen Spine (IND) | 87 | 0.87% | ||||||||
| 2018 | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 3,971 | 37.14% | Siriman Basir (WARISAN) | 3,716 | 34.76% | 11,070 | 255 | 74.50% | |
| Japiril Suhaimin (STAR) | 2,105 | 19.69% | ||||||||
| Henrynus Amin (ANAK NEGERI) | 733 | 6.86% | ||||||||
| Jinus Sodiong (PKS) | 166 | 1.55% | ||||||||
| 2020 | N36 Kundasang | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 4,332 | 43.35% | Siriman Basir (WARISAN) | 2,910 | 29.12% | 9,994 | 1,422 | 66.69% |
| Ewon Ebin (PCS) | 2,384 | 23.85% | ||||||||
| Jeafry Goh Kautah (LDP) | 293 | 2.93% | ||||||||
| Osman Marajin (USNO Baru) | 75 | 0.75% | ||||||||
| 2025 | Joachim Gunsalam (PBS) | 4,640 | 28.97% | Jackson Musi (IND) | 3,609 | 22.53% | 16,219 | 1,031 | 65.98% | |
| Jattry Abie @ Jeffry Mohd Ali (KDM) | 2,833 | 17.69% | ||||||||
| Japirin Sahadi (PBRS) | 1,877 | 11.72% | ||||||||
| Japiril Suhaimin (SAPP) | 1,279 | 7.99% | ||||||||
| Jeffrey Gopog (WARISAN) | 986 | 6.16% | ||||||||
| Rogers Tiam (UPKO) | 530 | 3.31% | ||||||||
| Atong Antong (Sabah BERSATU) | 154 | 0.96% | ||||||||
| Edward Jamkim (IMPIAN) | 64 | 0.40% | ||||||||
| Nazarul Khaiwala Wahab (ANAK NEGERI) | 44 | 0.27% | ||||||||
Honours
- Sabah
References
- 1."Ongkili hands presidency duties to Gunsalam with immediate effect". The Star. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- 2."Joachim wins PBS deputy president post by a whisker". The Star. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- 3."Bung, Jeffrey and Gunsalam are deputy CMs". Free Malaysia Today (FMT). 29 September 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- 4."Hajiji angkat sumpah Ketua Menteri; Bung Moktar, Dr Jeffrey, Joachim dilantik Timbalan Ketua Menteri". Sabah News Today (in Malay). 29 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- 5."Sabah [Parliament Results]". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- 6."14th General Election Malaysia (GE14 / PRU14) – Results Overview". election.thestar.com.my.
- 7."N53 Senallang". Malaysiakini. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2020.