PENAMPANG, Nov 15 — Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) founder and president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan is keen to pass the baton to a new leader after helming the indigenous Kadazan Dusun and Murut party for more than three decades.

The deputy chief minister said he was “99 per cent” sure he will not be contesting in the coming elections, and has begun the transition process by passing on some party responsibilities to his deputy, Datuk Maximus Ongkili.

“I’d like to retire soon. This is the transition process now. I will be concentrating on my ministerial duties till the next election,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after making his policy speech at the PBS congress here at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association hall today.

Pairin said it was time for him to relinquish the party struggle to the next generation as he would like to spend time with his grandchildren and to finish writing a book.

When asked about the legacy he would like to leave behind, he said he hoped the people would “remember the good things and forget about the bad.”

Pairin, 76, entered the political arena in 1975 under the Berjaya party where he held the Tambunan state seat, He has won the seat in every election since. In 1984, he left and formed PBS and won the 1985 state elections. He was chief minister from 1985 to 1994.

Pairin in his speech said that the party leadership transition began in July when Ongkili started overseeing all party matters including affairs and management of divisions, branches and party headquarters.

The Keningau MP said he would concentrate on ministerial and non governmental organisation duties until the end of the current term of Parliament and State assembly.

“The party through the supreme council has endorsed that he will be carrying out duties of the party president.  The next step is for the full handover of duties as acting president.

“He has been in the left long and as my deputy for two decades. I am confident that he with the support and assistance from other ever loyal colleagues in PBS can bring the party to higher heights,” he said.