Talk has surfaced again of an imminent change in the state leadership - the first time in almost 25 years.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Adenan Satem - who is ruling party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu's (PBB) senior vice-president - is said likely to be sworn in as chief minister "in three months' time", possibly after the state elections.

Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has been chief minister since 1981, is to withdraw from the scene temporarily and will be going on a long leave.

"He will be watching from a distance," according to a Taib political aide, who confirmed talks of leadership changes within certain circles in the state Barisan Nasional coalition led by Taib's PBB.

Adenan will at best be acting chief minister, he added. "Taib wants to see how he (Adenan) performs," said the source.

Adenan is one of the senior PBB leaders that Taib has earlier named as possible successors.

The likely chief-minister-in-waiting has nevertheless been often considered the front-runner for the job, judging by the power and influence he has been wielding within the party.

His rivals are State Housing Minister and PBB deputy president Abang Johari Tun Openg and former federal agriculture minister Effendi Norwawi.

Johari has lately been overshadowed by Adenan while Effendi is said to be as good as out of the running for the top job. However, his supporters still insist that Effendi remains a serious contender.

State elections are now widely expected in March 2006, at least six months ahead of the end of the government's present term. Some political observers have even described the state polls as Taib's swan song.

The question is what will happen to Johari if Adenan, who is less senior in the party, takes over as acting chief minister?

Will they swap positions with Johari, son of Sarawak's first-post Independence governor Tun Openg, taking up a federal post?

Johari has confided to close friends that he cannot see himself in a state cabinet with Adenan "lording" over him.

According to close friends, he has indicated he would rather opt to join the private sector where he first came from as the administration manager of Malaysia Airlines in Kuching in the 1970s.

Taib's stake in smelter plant

One of Taib's political aides who asked not to be identified told malaysiakini he did not see Taib withdrawing permanently from politics after the next state elections.

"He wants to see a few big projects off the ground, including the multi-billion-ringgit smelter plant that has been proposed for Bintulu."

Taib family-controlled company, CMS Bhd, has signed a memorandum of understanding with a group of state-owned Chinese companies to set up the smelter plant using cheap power from the controversial Bakun dam, which is expected to be ready in 2009.

To do this, he has to edge out another bidder, Malaysia's leading Malay enterpreneur Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, whose Asean Smelter is said to be favoured by the federal government.

As land and many other related matters lie in the hands of the state government, business analysts figure that a compromise will have to be stitched out in which CMS Bhd is given a stake in the smelter plant project.

"Negotiations can take a long time, considering the parties and equity involved, and Taib obviously wants to see this out," the analysts said.