Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said last night that his job is only half done for Sarawak and that he is not ready to step down as he has yet to find a successor to carry on the work.

Taib, at the helm of the state government since 1981, was reacting to rumours that he was resigning after cutting short a trip to Switzerland where he sought dental treatment.

He flew back to Kuching in a state government executive jet from Singapore at 9.22 pm to a welcome from a crowd estimated at around 3000 that had gathered at the state-owned Hornbill Skyways hangar next to the Kuching International Airport.

Among them were state cabinet members, including the two deputy chief ministers Dr George Chan and Alfred Jabu, and leaders and members of the state BN component parties.

Taib's supporters had originally planned to bring in a bigger crowd with banners calling for his continued leadership, but due to the last-minute arrangements, managed to bring in a crowd estimated at 3000. It was also raining slightly when Taib's executive jet touched down at the tarmac.

Looking cool and calm and showing no outside signs of annoyance at rumours circulating in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur about him, Taib, addressing the crowd using a loud-hailer and standing on a sofa as an impromptu stage, declared: "I will not resign!"

He said he would continue to promote politics that would unite the people and would not stand down until he had succeeded in doing that. He added that he would help to realise Vision 2020 and would give the fullest support to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Rumours upset him

Taib said the rumours upset him, adding that people should know by now that after more than 20 years, he would not just shun his responsibilities and quit without finishing his work to build a better Sarawak.

He also said he was looking to grooming three leaders and the best among them would take over where he left off eventually.

Without mentioning names, the three are widely understood to refer to PBB deputy president and state tourism minister Abang Johari Tun Openg, PBB senior vice president and state agriculture and food industries ministers Adenan Satem, and PBB vice president and current special functions minister Effendi Norwawi.

On Effendi, Taib said he would want to have a last word with him about the latter's wish not to contest the parliamentary election and not to continue as a minister. Effendi has given health concerns as reason for his decision to quit politics.

There is speculation that Effendi may actually be brought back to Sarawak politics, if he still considers running for the state's chief executive post in a post-Taib era.

Taib is meeting the prime minister on Monday in Kuala Lumpur with the final list of candidates for the Sarawak BN. He said the decision to decide on candidates for the PBDS group will be left entirely to Abdullah.

On his own candidacy in the coming elections, he said he would leave it to Pak Lah, saying he was ever ready to stand again.