Outgoing Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud says he will not interfere in the new state administration, but only advise his successor like how the queen of the United Kingdom would her prime minister.

Abdul Taib - who will take over as state governor - when he resigns on Feb 28 said there can only be one boss in Sarawak and that wil be the new Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem.

"I don't know if he (Adenan) needs advice from me. If he does, I think the post of governor is like  that of the queen of England.

"It is a position where if you gather enough experience, you can pass it on to the governing leadership. But only if they ask; if they don't ask, then you don't offer advice," he told a press conference in Kuching today, which was streamed live by MobTV .

"The country (state) needs only one boss, and that is its chief minister," he stressed.

He added that his relationship in the capacity of the governor with the new state government will not need to be formal and views can be exchange in conversations.

"My advice will be in a different sense. Their (state government's) advice to me will be mandatory, I must follow as the head of state.

"My advice is just one of the opinions he (Adenan) must gather if he needs it," said Abdul Taib.

In the 45-minute press conference, Abdul Taib also heaped praised on Deputy Sarawak Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang who was not named as a possible successor during the transition process.

“He has been able to bring in (into the government) young leadership among the Dayaks who know how to tread in sensitive areas when it comes to relationship across communal lines,” he said.

‘Industrialisation will continue’

Abdul Taib said he hoped his Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score) project will go on to industrialise Sarawak, including the creation of new townships in Baram and Baleh.

The plan, if fully rolled out, will see the creation of 12 dams which will power high-energy industries in the state.

However, the Sarawak government has come under criticism as the dams have displaced the indigenous population without proper consultation and compensation.

On the state of politics in Sarawak, Abdul Taib said the BN performed well there with the exception of the Chinese votes which he attributed to the weakness of SUPP which traditionally represents the community.

“It is not an en bloc boycott of the Chinese against the BN.

“Even after the election when I talk to some Chinese they zoom on the fact that there is not enough development in the Chinese party to give chance to younger people to play bigger roles,” he said.

He added that he had advised SUPP on the matter for 10 years but unwillingness to change means it had to pay the price.

“It is easy for me to give advice but not easy for people leading the SUPP to follow that advice.

“Politics being politics, some people find it difficult to relinquish their entrenched position... if you don’t want to do things that are unpleasant but neccessary, you may have to suffer the consequences,” he said.