Pairin Kitingan writes life story to keep Sabah's history alive

PENAMPANG: Former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan authored a 270-page autobiography aimed at helping his grandchildren comprehend his life and safeguard crucial historical events in Sabah's history. The 86-year-old Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) founder disclosed the inspiration for the book during its launch at the KDCA Hall.

Pairin explained his motivation stemmed from noticing his grandchildren, particularly those living in Australia, lacked knowledge about his life and accomplishments. He emphasized that as long as he had grandchildren, he felt compelled to write the book so they could know more about their grandfather and his endeavors.

The autobiography, titled Joseph Pairin Kitingan and penned under his pen name 'Tonnipot', which means firefly in the Kadazan language, chronicles pivotal moments in Sabah's history. Among these events is the 1982 Kaamatan harvest festival in Tambunan, during which Pairin was instructed to resign from the state cabinet by the Berjaya government.

Pairin, who founded PBS on March 5, 1985, led the party to victory in the subsequent state election and became Sabah's seventh chief minister on April 22, 1985, serving until March 1994. However, the PBS suffered a setback when defections by assemblymen eliminated its governing majority, leading Pairin to resign as chief minister.

Pairin, also recognized as Huguan Siou, the paramount leader of the Kadazandusun community, underscored the significance of documenting history for younger generations. He believes that understanding the past is essential for shaping the state's future. Half of the book's proceeds, priced at RM100, will be donated to the Huguan Foundation for Charity and Education, which supports various charitable and educational initiatives.

Pairin expressed that public backing for the autobiography could enable the foundation to broaden its assistance to those in need.