exclusive Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has a right to stay on if he wants to, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

It is the prerogative of Abdul Taib whether he wants to continue as chief minister or step down, Mahathir told malaysiakini in an exclusive interview this week.

But he was also quick to add that "ultimately, it is the people of Sarawak who will decide how long he sits in the chief minister's seat" when responding to a question on the Sarawak election and the state's long-serving chief minister.

"I suppose I am one of the few who made the decision to step down, and I stepped down not because anybody was pushing me off, I just decided I should step down. But he has a right if he wants to stay," Mahathir said.

"But whatever it is, the people of Sarawak has a choice," he added.

Too powerful

Taib has been chief minister since 1981 and it is widely speculated that he is going for his final term after the ninth state election tomorrow.

To a suggestion that Taib has become overly powerful, Mahathir cited the example of Singapore, where voting patterns during the city-state's recent general election indicated a slight decline in support for the ruling PAP party.

The votes of the people of Sarawak on May 20 would indicate if this was indeed a major concern, he said.

"People can decide. I mean, this is a free country. You are given the chance to vote. Of course, even in Singapore they can vote. A number of voters (for PAP) has come down, so maybe you can read something (there).

"In this country, if you vote in the opposition, we don't thrown them in jail or take them to the court. In this country, you get elected, you can sit in Parliament, you get to sit in the Dewan Undangan Negeri or whatever.

"We are still a little bit more democratic than some people," said Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years.

Asked whether he has any advice for the Sarawak chief minister now that he is sick, Mahathir said, "No, I'm not advising anybody. I'm not qualified to advise anybody."

Abide by people's wishes

In January, Taib confirmed that he has colon cancer but was not in any danger.

He told reporters on his return from medical treatment in Singapore then that he had to undergo the surgery to remove the tumour after it was detected he was suffering from the early stage of colon cancer.

This would render chemotherapy unnecessary, he said, adding that doctors who attended to him had given him a clean bill of health.

Federal leaders including Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad were among those who flew into Kuching to visit him soon after he announced his illness.

In later months, Taib expressed his disappointment at what he said were rumours claiming that he was very sick and on a wheel-chair. Soon after this, he stopped talking of his impending retirement and declared that if the people still want him to serve as chief minister, he would abide by their wishes.

Malaysiakini's full interview with Dr Mahathir Mohamad will run from Tuesday, May 23.