[1][2] In 1970, he entered St Francis Xavier's Major Seminary in Singapore and later furthered his studies at College General, Penang in 1972.
On 27 March 1977, he was ordained priest in his hometown parish of St Peter the Apostle, Bundu, Kuala Penyu by Bishop Simon Michael Fung Kui Heong.
[5][6] He was ordained bishop on 6 May 1993 at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Keningau by Archbishop Peter Chung Hoan Ting.
He is of Dusun Tatana ethnicity, an indigenous tribe native to the Malaysian state of Sabah from the majority Kadazan-Dusun ethnic group found in his hometown of Kuala Penyu as well as in neighbouring Beaufort district of southern Sabah state.
award which carries the title "Datuk" from the former Sabah Head of State, the late Tun Sakaran Dandai (1930–2021) in 1996, in conjunction with his 66th official birthday.